Apricity
by Skylar Winchester
Summary: The Winter Soldier had one purpose; kill. This mission was different. When he has to protect an eccentric and genius hacker Kennedy Walsh, he starts to see that there is more to life than he thought, presenting him with a new road; defy HYDRA. The unlikely pair is in the middle of a dark agenda and unspeakable perils and maybe...is faced with other uncertainties about each other.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hola people, thanks for reading and hope you enjoy it. This is not my first story but I have deleted those in the past from when I was ten since they sucked enormously. I love Marvel and Captain America and unfortunately I do not own any of the characters, except for Kennedy. By the way, I use the British spelling of some words, not American, just in case you're wondering. Enjoy!**

The man in the posh grey suit strode into the conference room, soldiers flanking him left and right. The doors swung open almost as if afraid of his intimidating and authoritative air. Seven men in lab coats immediately rose to their feet only to sit back down with the wave of the man's hand.

"Thank you for coming gentlemen. I need not remind you that this meeting never happened and if you were to breathe a word of this to anyone...well…." Everyone knew what **that** meant.

"Anyway, we have two issues to discuss urgently. Firstly, we need our medium for PROJECT INSIGHT. Someone with the capabilities to launch the world into the future by creating something that no one has ever dreamed of. Now I know you sorry sons of bitches can't do it so I took it upon myself to find our "saviour". I'll get to that in a bit. Secondly, our soldier has not been entirely up to standard. He's been exerting forms of aggression to the staff and while he has been getting the job done, he has also been experiencing hesitancy with some of his targets." The room murmured uncertainly and in surprise.

"Our forms of mental conformity are not as effective as we thought. So I propose another solution." He pressed a button on the desk and the room darkened dramatically with a chart of CAT scans appearing on the holographic screen, illuminating their anxious faces.

"We monitored his vitals during his last three missions. As you can see here, the cerebrum of the brain especially that involves human emotion is fluctuating and his heart rate increased exponentially at the very moment he shot his target. His record execution is exactly 0.6 seconds. His latest missions have seen an increase of 1, 3 and 4 seconds. Conventional solutions would be further torture but I want to do something different. How about we appeal to those emotions? Give him someone to latch on to; to protect, even to love." Confusion stirred in the air.

"Sir, after all the work we've done on him...is he even capable of such emotions? " the timid scientist in a bowtie asked hesitantly.

"Let's put it this way. Our soldier is like a dog. You show him love and he will become loyal. However, what happens to an individual when you take away someone they care about?" He eyed the men.

"They become cold and detached," one answered hopefully.

"Precisely! Therefore, turning our soldier into the perfect weapon."

"But what does this have to do with our medium, sir?" bowtie asked.

"That's the next best thing," he answered with a small satisfied smile on his face. He touched the desk again and an image of a girl, around 19-20 years of age, platinum blonde hair and startling, otherworldly green eyes that hated the camera for taking her mugshot, came up on the translucent screen before them. Her skin looked like silk except for the minor bruises under her eyes. The popular theory developed among the individuals in the room was that she was a troublemaker of some kind.

The man gazed at her image, fondly and in awe, something that the board never saw before. He would have never let emotion slip that easily. That immediately indicated her extreme importance.

"This young lady, gentlemen, is the key to our future. She will solve our PROJECT INSIGHT problem." The man had his hands behind his back and looked approvingly at the photograph in front of him.

"But what does she have to do with the Winter Soldier?"

"She will do what needs to be done as both our medium and the soldier's constant companion. After our program launches, she will unfortunately succumb to unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, our soldier will become...perfect from the _oh-so tragic loss_ ". Nods of approval and excited exchanges took place (which were probably forced).

"I call this Operation Lazarus," the man declared, "our soldier will die inside, only to be resurrected anew." Pierce was so pleased with himself. He should have been the scientist rather than these expendable buffoons.

In the next room, a girl sat on the ground, her body indicating resignation and defeat. She accepted her fate a long time ago, not just as a recently kidnapped victim of this radical organization, but as a target for the universe's irony. She was just bored.

She supposed she was doing fine in her little cell in Pentonville Prison, not getting into any fights but mostly spending her time reading physics and astronomy books; nothing really special. Then suited men (typically seen in movies, the ones who wore sunglasses at night) escorted her out without further explanation. While she thought that a death sentence must have been passed as plans must have changed, she was taken to a van, got a bag placed over her head and driven off to this place…which was God-knows where.

Honestly, if she were to die at this very moment, she would just laugh. She sat cross legged on the cold and damp floor with nothing to entertain herself but the hem of the pants of her orange jumpsuit. She wished she had a tennis ball, she thought, laughing inwardly from the reference to _The_ _Great Escape_.

A booming voice suddenly echoed through the room, pulling her out of her reverie. A very unattractive and sagging-faced man in a grey suit smiled at her which made her stomach turn. The look in his eyes made her feel extremely uncomfortable. She looked at him up and down skeptically when he suddenly held her by the chin, tilting her head up.

"Such beautiful eyes," he murmured. She immediately pulled away, dying for some face wash or preferably some disinfectant from his calloused hand.

"Thank you for your patience, my dear. I know you have a lot of questions. The only thing you have to know…is that you are here to save the world," he said confidently. She said nothing as she evaluated this clearly loony old hag before her.

The only thing she thought was, 'What the bloody hell does that mean?' Save the world? Probably not.

The man stopped down to her level and unlocked her handcuffed hands. She rubbed the soreness on her wrists and glared at him suspiciously. What was his end-game? What did he get out of this?

"I expect great things from you, Miss Walsh. You are going to shape this world," the man smiled at her. A chill ran up her spine. She didn't like the sound of that. Without another word, the man left.

One of the HYDRA main guys, Rumlow, waited for his superior in the hallway and immediately stood at attention when he came into view. Pierce nodded at him.

"At ease," he said.

"Your orders, sir?" Rumlow asked.

"I think it's time to wake up an old friend," he replied, leading his minion to the building's cryo-deck.


	2. Chapter 2

He opened his eyes to blinding light and refrained from the shivering cold that enveloped his skin. Out of cryostasis, he thought. His cold glare searched the dank room to find a familiar and unpleasant wrinkled face looking down upon him.

"Welcome back, soldier. We have a new assignment for you," he claimed. The soldier's automatic response would have been to nod in understanding, but his body refused to move. The feelings he felt, he realized that they were anger...and defiance. He vividly pictured himself with his human and bionic hands around the man's neck; the urgent blood trying to pump life to his brain and other vitals. The light was leaving his eyes and he would be free. But then he thought, free to do what? Be normal? Not living in an internal constancy of damage and chaos? HYDRA was the only thing he knew…which made him angrier. They gave him no choice; they made him stagnant in his position. That freedom to think was totally alien to him yet he desired it more than anything. This inner conflict was thankfully not noticed as Pierce unstrapped his restraints. He'd forgotten that they were there. He was so used to people being afraid of him. Rightly so.

His eyes went to the 4 swat team members flanking the doorway who shifted uncomfortably under his hard gaze. Pierce handed him his uniform and said, "You have 5 minutes. The guards will escort you to room 258." The soldier dipped his head with the slightest movement to acknowledge his order and went to work on the multiple straps and weapons of his armour.

In less than 5 minutes, the soldier robotically walked ahead with the guards hot on his heels. He pushed down the annoyance and strode down the monotonous grey hallway and stopped in front of Pierce who had a knowing smirk on his face.

"This assignment is different than the others, but I know you will execute it to perfection," he said and the door buzzed open for them to enter. Pierce entered first and the soldier expected to see the usual desk and file but was introduced to something unexpected. A person; More accurately, a young woman, sitting on the ground in an almost comfortable manner. His eyes held great amounts of confusion and his brow furrowed. Who was she? A target? An agent? Was he to interrogate her? Why was she here? Her gaze was turned to them in a flash and the soldier was immediately startled. She looked…strange. She didn't look like most people. Her gaze was also too direct. Two orbs of green penetrated him and his guard consequently went up. Agents refused to look at him the way she did. She held no fear, no anger. It was curious, which was an undesirable quality in this establishment. His attention also diverted to her bruises near her eyes and on her lips. Was she a hostile? His hand was itching to reach for his gun. Pierce stopped his eager hand from taking the gun from his holster. Her gaze then turned to Pierce and hardened.

"Thank you for waiting, Miss Walsh. As you can see, we have company," Pierce spoke in a polite but curt tone. Her eyebrow rose cynically.

"I wish you gave me a tennis ball or something. It's flipping boring," she replied with dry humor. The soldier now saw that she was British in origin. Pierce chuckled and his eyes held a strange twinkle which made the girl shift and look away in what looked like disgust.

"My apologies. Now let's get to business. Do you know why you are here?"

"No because your dogs refuse to tell me anything, especially when I asked how the bloody hell I got out of prison," she snapped.

"Miss Walsh, you are considered one of the most brilliant minds on the planet, next to Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. Your expertise in computer sciences and physics is unparalleled and you graduated with a PhD from Oxford when you were 17. Your skills are the key to the future. You underestimate your potential to do great things. That is unfortunately evident in your crimes against the government which landed you in a cell. However, here, we see you as something more." She continued to watch him with a spectacularly bored expression on her face.

"Pray tell what you mean by that?" she deadpanned. Pierce squatted in front of her, his hands clasped thoughtfully before him. The soldier again noticed her feelings towards his superior as she leaned back slightly, as if repelled by his presence. That was probably true.

"You are going to help us build something. I know how capable you are of creating something that is beyond our day and age. No one will see it coming. You will make this world a safer place. You are charged with a duty, Miss Walsh, to foresee certain events from occurring and to eliminate all threats before they even exist." She stared at him for a few seconds, until she suddenly burst into laughter. The soldier almost winced at the high pitched sound and watched her as if she was mad.

"Are you serious? You want me to build you a machine to predict the future. Ha, that's brilliant," she continued her hysterics but stopped when she saw Pierce's straight face.

"Oh, you're serious? Well, I can assure you, Gramps that it can't be done," she shrugged.

"You will make it work, Miss Walsh. I have the utmost confidence that you will."

"And if I don't?" Pierce stood ominously over her.

"Or we will exert any necessary persuasion." Those words hung heavily in the air. She rose up from her position on the floor and held her arms out.

"Go on then. Kill me. I've been waiting a while but I've been so busy to go at it myself. That's why you've brought the soldier here, isn't it?" The soldier never saw this coming. She actually **wanted** to die. Or at least didn't mind dying. Most of HYDRA's victims pleaded for mercy. Why would she want such a fate? This mental showdown quickly ended when Pierce chuckled and dug in his pocket for his phone.

"I meant…this persuasion," he said, holding the device out for her to see. Her hard demeanor slackened and her lips parted slightly in surprise. She recovered and simply shrugged.

"This is a letter I typed up while you were being brought here. This is your ticket to freedom. Do what we ask, and you walk free plain and simple."

"This is the part where you mention the catch."

"No catch. Just your cooperation, don't give too much trouble and everything shall be fine."

"So what's he here for?" She gestured to the statue of a soldier behind Pierce.

"Ah, how rude of me. Soldier, this is Miss Kennedy Walsh. You are to be her constant companion. Protect her. She is to be your brain on missions and you are her muscle. Understand? You are to be with her at all times," Pierce commanded. The soldier usually said nothing but a million thoughts ran through his head. This was so complex. He never had to protect anyone before. He was created to kill, not preserve. The opposition to this new setting was emphasized by the strange girl's blunt tone.

"No. I work alone. He'll only slow me down. He's distracting. I have a certain feng shui to work with," she shook her head defiantly.

"Well, adapt to suit. You two are together now. End of discussion." With that being said, Pierce headed for the door, but stopped and said, "By the way, when I said at all times, I mean it. That means you're sharing a room." Then he left.

"What the f-"she started, then closed her eyes and breathed, pinching the bridge of her nose. The soldier watched her silently, unsure of what to do. He kept his expression as stoic as possible, not conveying his displeasure. However, he did not fool her. Her startling eyes penetrated him again and he didn't like it. They were too alarming, their rare shade of light green.

"Do you have a name?" she asked in resignation. He kept his eyes on her, not answering, not because he refused to but because he didn't know the answer. She cocked her head slightly to the side in contemplation, studying him. She sighed.

"All right. I guess I'll call you Grumpy then," she said casually, "Come on, Grumps. We have a lot of work to do. Well only me I guess." She opened the door and strode out. The soldier grimaced and followed her. She was impulsive, somewhat arrogant. He didn't like that. If he was sure about anything in his blurring life, it was that he wasn't going to like this new mission.

 **A/N: hope you guys enjoyed it! More great stuff to come!**


	3. Chapter 3

The soldier was right. He didn't like his current mission. His mind was already damaged and she was just making it worse. Waking up from his frozen sleep was immediately followed by activity, whether it was training, locating targets and so on. But now, he was doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. HYDRA agents moved both of them into a spacious room. Their beds were on opposite sides of the grey room; in the back were a bathroom and a bigger open space with a white board where Kennedy could work. The soldier sat on a chair, staring irritably at the strange girl, again sitting cross legged on the ground in the middle of the room.

She stared at the white board, her hands under her chin in contemplation. She had been doing it for 2 days and he was desperate to leave, to do something. Her presence irritated him. He needed to move and be active. If he sat still for too long, tumultuous thoughts would have started to arise. He didn't realize that his bionic hand was gripping the metal table, bending and twisting it. His breathing was sporadic and uneven and his angry thoughts were directed at her. What was she doing? Why was she being so difficult and not moving or giving any notion as to what his next order was? She was tormenting him.

Then, she suddenly rose, giving no indication as to what she was going to do. His expression was one of caution and surprise as she stopped directly in front of him. She knelt in front of him, expressionlessly. She held out her hand expectantly.

"Give me your hand," she said. He found her closeness strange and alien. He put his guard up and grabbed her wrist, painfully squeezing. Just because she was supposed to be protected, didn't mean that she couldn't keep her boundaries. Her lips thinned and she watched him with a hint of amusement.

"Relax, Grumpy. I just want to show you something," she chuckled. He stared at her for a few moments before letting her go. She reached into her back jeans pocket and pulled out a large 20p coin. She once again held out her hand for him. He didn't move. She raised her eyebrow at his stubbornness and yawned. He knew she wasn't going to give up. Unfortunately, she was relentless. Slowly, he placed his hand in hers. Her fingers were soft and painted black as they made his calloused hand into a loose fist. The sensation was odd, but surprisingly welcoming. No one ever touched him like that. She placed the coin between his thumb and index finger.

"This is an old trick I learned when I was still living in Chelsea. You put the coin between these two fingers first. Then you slowly roll the coin on the surface and into the next crease with your index and middle finger. Then you repeat it for the others. Try it," she instructed softly. His hard eyes met hers with a hint of uncertainty.

"Go on. Try it," she egged on. He then did as she said, watching as the coin rolled across half of his knuckles. But the coin slipped and she caught it before it fell to the ground.

"That was good for a first try. Keep practicing and you'll be a pro," she gave him a small smile and gave him the coin. He would have refused but found his hand taking it from her, looking at it perplexed. Why did she do that?

As if reading his mind she asked, "Feel better?"

"What?" he spoke for the first time since he woke up. His voice was strained and guttural and he didn't understand why. She crossed her arms and smiled.

"Do you feel irritable at all?" He thought about it and found himself not as tense as before. His breathing was actually steady and his metal arm rested peacefully on his knee. He looked up at her.

"I could have heard you breathing from a mile away. Doing that helps with stress. It's a brilliant distraction technique," she told him, giving him another smile before plopping herself down on the floor once more to stare at the board. She helped him and temporarily saved him from the horrors of his mind. Why did she care? She lived a life before HYDRA. Was that what regular people did? He found himself grateful. Maybe her presence was not as bad as he thought. He found himself placing the coin between his fingers and attempted it again. Unknown to him, he's been at it for 3 hours and a satisfied smile tugged at the corner of Kennedy's lips.

Images were blurry. He saw streets, old fashioned vehicles, and people dancing, all at once. He saw someone who looked like him. He was wearing a soldier's uniform, smiling proudly. He then saw a smaller man, blonde, skinny but important. He hugged his doppelgänger and punched his shoulder fondly. "Don't win the war till I get there," he told him. His other self saluted in response and they both parted ways. You know me, the soldier wanted to ask, but his voice didn't work as silence came out instead. He reached out his arm to the small man in desperation. PLEASE! His mind screamed. Who are you? Who am I?

The soldier's eyes flew open and he squinted against the brightness of the room. Sleeping with or without light didn't particularly matter to him. He looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was 5 in the morning. Slowly, his eyes drifted to the bed across the room and found it empty with blankets strewn across it. He immediately scrambled out of bed in urgent search for his weapon to go find her when she strolled into the room from the hallway, changed into a fitted navy blue sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers with two cups of coffee in her hands. Her almost white hair was tied up in a messy bun and she adorned herself with glasses. By the looks of it, she was awake for some time. He paused, immediately glaring at her for her insolence.

"Morning, Grumpy," she said brightly, holding out a mug for him. He looked down at it and didn't move. She rolled her eyes.

"Whatever," she sighed in exasperation and set it down on the table beside his bed.

Kennedy had little experience with men in the past and thought nothing about the opposite sex until now. Her new grumpy bodyguard stood before her, shirtless and looking pissed at her for something. There was always the saying that anger makes people look ugly but here, it made him look even better. She looked up and down for a second and nodded, not bothering to hide her admiration. She was probably not getting out of here anytime soon anyway. Might as well live it up.

"Nice," she said slightly toasting to his physique with her mug and gulped some of her coffee. His forehead wrinkled in confusion and he looked down at his stomach. He always had this questioning look about him, about everything. It made her even more intrigued. What was his story?

"Anyway, why are you looking at me like you want to sock me in the face? Which I wouldn't doubt that you want to do," she asked him when he unfortunately put on a white shirt.

"You're reckless," he stated coldly. She was about to drink again but she paused.

"Excuse me?" she asked calmly.

"You should have woken me up. I'm supposed to be with you at all times. You will not make me fail my mission." Her eyes widened incredulously.

"I went across the hall…..to get a cup of coffee. Just a few meters away, okay? Your mission isn't going to fail if I wanted a cup coffee. Coffee is not your enemy. Relax," her tone was even but he didn't like the fact that she explained it to him like a child. His jaw tightened and he clenched his fists. She noticed this, scoffed and took her usual place on the ground. **She** was being an absolute child. Didn't she understand that the rules were absolute at HYDRA? She was only endangering herself. The soldier crossed his arms and shook his head. A knock came at the door and Pierce graced the room with his superiority. Nodding to the soldier, he walked up to Kennedy who was at her usual place on the ground.

"I came to ask what-"he was cut off by her abruptly handing him a piece of paper, her gaze not leaving the board. Pierce opened the paper and read.

"You're telling me you need 1.5 million dollars?" he asked cynically.

"Do you want your machine or not? Get me 1.5 million worth of those materials; cables, computers and shit. Whatever I need, please?" She looked up at him, her expression showing that she was less than amused. The soldier wondered what Pierce was going to do. Despite his less than accommodating feelings towards the girl, he couldn't help but glance at his gun on his bedside table. Pierce chuckled and tried to pat her head like a pet, which she effectively dodged.

"You'll get what you need, Miss Walsh." Pierced exited the room and the soldier relaxed.

"That man is a bloody pedophile, don't you think?" she asked no one in particular.

"You shouldn't do that," the soldier spoke up.

"Do what? Express my dissatisfaction? I have rights."

"Not here. You're theirs now."

"Is that what happened to you?" The next question caught him off guard.

"Have a seat," she patted the spot on the concrete floor next to her, still not taking her eyes off the board. He took a step forward hesitantly and sat down, looking at her. Her eyes met his. At first he wasn't going to answer but her eyes no longer held the sarcasm and rebellion that it had a few moments ago. They were soft, welcoming and not pushing boundaries which definitely contrasted with her earlier demeanor. He took a few moments to collect his thoughts but she didn't rush him.

"I can't- remember" was all he said. It was a rather pathetic answer, "I can't remember my name. HYDRA is all I know." Her eyes softened a degree and she gave a half- shrug.

"Me either," she admitted. He watched her curiously. What did she mean by that?

"I don't know my real name. My current name is what the state gave me but I don't know my real one. All I know that I was born in some country in Eastern Europe and my parents abandoned me and didn't bother to name me. We have a lot in common than we think." Her story was… disturbing. The soldier didn't know why he saw it that way. She didn't look like the type. She was bright and witty which was not the personality of an orphan.

"I know we have not been on the best of terms. I admit I can be a bit high maintenance at times and I'm sorry if I stressed you out." Her sincerity was astonishing. Underneath the hard, calculated and arrogant exterior was something else.

"I promise I won't give you any more trouble. Sort of," she said holding out her pinky finger. He raised his eyebrows in questioning.

"This is an eternal pact that we must keep or else the balance of the universe is overthrown and kills us all. Wrap yours around mine and our fates are sealed forever." Her eyes held a hint of playfulness and he saw that she was joking. A ghost of a smile appeared and vanished just as quickly. He wrapped his pinky around hers and he supposed their fates were now sealed.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for reviewing and following :) it means the world to me. I'd like to thank my best friend Miky and Liana for editing the chapters and the story would have sucked without their help :) Anyway, keep reviewing and stuff and hope you enjoy!**

Things got easier between the two of them as Kennedy's presence was no longer an issue. He had gotten used to her strange habits over the next few days. She would normally mutter to herself about designs for the machine, randomly jump up in delight when figuring something out and of course sitting on the ground and helping him when he felt irritated or stressed. He became a master of the coin trick she showed him and consequently she gave him another exercise to work on while she attended to her sketches scattered on her bed. This time it was flipping the coin to get heads every time, with which he was having difficulty.

He looked over at his partner (he started to refer to her as such) and observed how focused she was, her long hair forming a curtain as if she were blocking out everything around her. Her hands moved fluidly across the paper, pausing every few minutes to consider and erase. Strangely, his heart rate picked up for a second. He figured that it was probably stress. His eyes met hers for a brief moment as they checked on each other's progress and she smiled.

"Patience is the key. Don't get too flustered," she said standing up and smoothing out her rumpled clothing. "Want to get some breakfast?" Actually, he was a bit hungry so he nodded and opened the door for her.

"Such a gentleman," she laughed and patted his shoulder. She had grown quite fond of her soldier over the past few days. He looked down at his shoulder and followed her out the door. Her very open way of doing things was not as intolerable as he had thought.

It had been quite a while since they left their room. Normally, they would have had food delivered to them, but he guessed that she was beginning to feel as trapped as he was. They got some slices of toast and some eggs and sat down at one of the tables in the cafeteria.

"What I would give for some beans with this toast right now. I despise monotony," she muttered to herself. He gave her a curious expression.

"Oh, English breakfast ritual. I miss it," she clarified and took a bite of her triangular bread. Her life seemed interesting and he surprisingly wanted to know more.

"What's it like?"

To Kennedy's amazement he spoke up which was in fact a rare occurrence. She observed that he was a quiet soul and a **very** damaged one at that. He kept to himself most of the time but his eyes now seemed a tad bit brighter, more grounded with the world, not drifting or pulling away as usual. He constantly watched her which honestly bothered her in the beginning but she had grown used to it. It's not every day that he was given a friend. Was that what they were? Friends? She did not really mind if they were.

"Nah, I don't want to burden you with those mundane details," she replied. He was accustomed to silence and the last thing she wanted to do was ramble. He paused, opening and closing his mouth as he struggled with what to say next. But then…

"Tell me," he egged on softly. She realized that he **wanted** to listen. He was curious about life itself and she couldn't help but smile softly in response.

"Well, you know my childhood was less than ideal. But as I grew older, I got more in touch with school. Math, physics and I.T were my favourite subjects and I liked to build and invent. I lived in a small apartment in London and while it was lonely, it was comfortable. I had no complaints. Every day you experience something new; a new store, a new piece of art, trying Indian food." Then he had to ask the most obvious question.

"What happened?" He regretted asking her as her eyes lowered a degree. It seemed like…shame and he suddenly wanted to take it back.

"I attended Oxford and I had so much going for me. I got accepted into a training program with the European Space Agency since I always wanted to be an astronaut. But I hit a rough patch. I started to do illegal stuff and I basically screwed up everything. I got involved with a guy and we hacked into MI6 and the CIA databases for intel to sell so we could run away together. He sold me out in exchange for his freedom. I was a fucking idiot."

She fell silent and her usual light dimmed. She nibbled on her toast distractedly, not looking at him. His grip on the table tightened. He didn't understand his reaction but upon hearing her story he became angry. He didn't believe that she deserved it. Whoever the man was, hopefully they would meet one day under more different circumstances.

He was about to say something, until his eyes scanned the room. HYDRA agents were watching them, a strike team eyeing them as they ate, mostly her. He knew what was going through their minds. Time and time again, he became aware of their perversions, their heightened hormonal tendencies; like animals. HYDRA rarely allowed marriages and relationships; no strings attached. The results were far from pleasant since it turned them into scavengers. A particular member, Rumlow, the one he disliked the most for his brutality, eyed her up and down like a piece of meat. Not while the soldier was alive and ready to defend her. He glared at the strike team's leader, his grip on the table making the wood creak until snapping entirely. Kennedy jumped, startled. Her eyes widened at the chunk of wood in Grumpy's hand.

"What the hell? Are you alright?" she asked in concern, not fear. The soldier didn't answer her and she followed his gaze to Rumlow who winked at her flirtatiously. Her face held a bored expression and she turned back to her food unfazed.

"Pervs," she shook her head, "That's what I hate about this modern age." She noticed that Grumpy wasn't listening to her. His stare was hard and calculating as if he was figuring out the most efficient way of ending them. It was unnecessary since she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but it was sweet nonetheless.

"Don't worry about them," she reassured him, "hey." His gaze was unfaltering and she hesitantly reached for his human hand, which seemed to jolt him out of his thoughts. She expected him to pull away or snap...but he didn't. Instead he stared down at their hands, almost as if in wonder. Her hand was so tiny compared to his. For someone so small, she held great amounts of courage and spirit. He met her eyes and she could have sworn that he was going to smile. He didn't but she proudly declared it progress.

"Come on," she stood up, "let's get away from these freaks. The new material is arriving today anyway." He followed her, not before shooting death glares at Rumlow, who was undoubtedly planning something. No one was going to touch her, not while he was around. Unknown to him, behavioural scientists took notes on their soldier's psychological progress.

Seeing all the computers, wires and metallic objects when they returned to their room made Kennedy light up like a child on Christmas morning. She was beaming. She loved stuff. Stuff was awesome. Pierce stood in the back and observed her reaction.

"I'm glad you're pleased," he stated in a monotone, "I came to discuss the details with you." She sat on her bed while Grumpy stood next to her.

"This machine that you're going to build has to predict future threats," he stated placing his hands in his pockets.

"I know that already," Kennedy said slightly annoyed.

"You misunderstand me, Miss Walsh. I don't mean events. I mean people." The nonchalant way he said it didn't make it better. An expression of horror appeared on her face.

"Are you bloody insane? You want to kill people who haven't done anything?!"

"Yet," Pierce said without sympathy.

"But people can change, people can be good! That's thousands of people we're talking about! Anybody could be a threat!" she raged and was about to punch him but Grumpy wound his arms around her waist and held her back before she did something that would get them into trouble. She tried to squirm out of his grip but to no avail. She looked like a caged animal, wild with desperation and fear. Her hair was in disarray and her sweater was slipping off her shoulder.

"Let me go," she pleaded with him. Her defeated tone struck him and it took everything in him not to release her.

"Miss Walsh I understand that it is a difficult decision but it must be done. The world's security must be intact," Pierce's eyes held a hint of amusement.

"Think what you like. I'm not doing it." Kennedy shook her head. The soldier felt her tremble against him. "Don't try to bribe me with freedom from prison. I'd rather go back. I'd rather die!" The soldier didn't like that; her lack of fear for death. The idea of her gone made his stomach turn. He felt selfish all of a sudden. He wanted her to stay. She was the only person who cared, who made him feel like he was no longer angry and alone. She was not just his mission, she was his friend. His only friend.

"Well, Miss Walsh, it's either you help us eliminate several million people who could be harmful to the world, or we eliminate everyone instead."

"You're bluffing," she hissed at him.

"Am I? HYDRA has a hold on all of the world's nuclear codes. The earth would be purged and we would have to start from scratch with a few people but we would create a new world. It could get a bit messy so I'm ordering you to prevent a cleanup on aisle 7. A lesser of two evils I think. You have 1 month or else kaboom! I know you can do it, I believe in you." Pierce left the room without another word.

Kennedy couldn't breathe. She felt claustrophobic, reminiscing on the feelings she experienced on her first night in prison: Cold and alone. How could she have been so blind? With an organization whose name was HYDRA, it was bound to do crazy shit like this. She was vaguely aware of Grumpy still holding on to her. Her legs weakened and she could no longer hold herself up. Upon realizing this, Grumpy strengthened his hold on her, gently lowering both himself and Kennedy onto the floor. Kennedy's breath caught in her throat, and she started to hyperventilate.

"Oh…*gasp* God….*gasp* I….can't" she sobbed.

The soldier didn't know what to do. He felt her racking sobs travel through her body as she panicked. She never did this before; it was unlike her. He desperately looked around the room for anything to calm her down. He needed to protect his mission…even if it was from herself.

He couldn't find anything so he came from behind her and kneeled in front of her.

"Look at me," he ordered firmly. She couldn't hear him, her eyes drifting away. He carefully took her face in his hands.

"Look at me," he ordered again. Her eyes met his and he nodded.

"Breathe," he said.

"They're…making me kill…people. Millions-"

"Breathe. Look at me," he cut her off gruffly. He showed her, inhaling and exhaling. It took her a while to mimic his breathing but she tried her best. Her sobbing reduced significantly, but her eyes were still red and watering slightly. Every now and again she gave a rare hiccup. They stayed like that for some time, not moving. His eyes roamed over her face and body finding no signs of other abnormalities.

"You take such good care of me, Grumpy. Thank you," she sadly smiled at him. He said nothing; instead he uncertainly extended his pinky finger to her. Her smile widened in surprise as she hooked hers around his in response. Her eyes then suddenly brightened, much to his confusion.

"What?" he asked. She shook her head still smiling.

"Nothing. Eureka," she replied. Thankfully, Grumpy didn't know what she was talking about. It was better to keep him out of it for his safety. She now had a plan.

In the other room, experts gathered, scribbling down in their notebooks while they watched the scene unfold on camera. Pierce's wrinkled eyes dazzled at his latest success.

"Update gentlemen," he demanded.

"The cafeteria incident exposed the asset's increasing protectiveness towards the medium while he observed high levels of attraction and testosterone from the strike team. Nice work gentlemen-" Bowtie eagerly replied.

"It didn't take a lot of effort. She's hot," Rumlow said making the other guys laugh and nod in agreement.

"He also exerts high levels of emotional attachment and need. He depends on her for stress relief and comfort. The next experiment is to observe how he reacts to her not being present for some time." Pierce watched the pair in satisfaction.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Good day peeps! Thanks so much for reviewing, following etc. You guys just made my day :) If you guys have any questions or such, don't be afraid to ask or message me...I don't bite...much LOL jk. Enjoy**

The soldier paced around their room, his breathing becoming uneven and his fists clenching. Pierce started to call Kennedy in for briefings on her progress with the machine. However, he was not allowed to attend those meetings and HYDRA clearly failed to note that he took his missions **very** seriously. He needed to be with her and she needed him, regardless of her claims otherwise. A million thoughts ran through his mind as he was constantly reminded of HYDRA agents roaming freely around the premises. They could have been waiting for her, watching her. It wasn't safe!

It had been 3 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds. What was taking her so long? This had also happened the day before and he was not going to stand for it any longer. He shook his head in frustration, grabbed his gun and tucked it into his pants when Kennedy opened the door with her folder tucked to her chest. He sighed loudly, snaking his metal hand roughly though his long hair in irritation.

"Stupid briefings. Sorry for taking so long. I don't understand why they want to do it so often…" she said casually, pausing in mid-sentence when she took in his flustered state. She sighed softly and dropped the folder on to her bed. Marching up to her, he looked for injuries as his hands brushed over her arms ever so slightly. He stepped back and scowled at her, expressing his displeasure.

"Same as yesterday, Grumpy, I'm fine," she held her arms out in confirmation. He crossed his arms, obviously not convinced.

"Don't look at me like that. It's not my fault that Pierce is being a diva," she held her hands out in surrender. His hard eyes lowered and concealed an expression that he didn't want her to see. 'He really was worried', she thought. She walked up to him and comically lifted the loose strands of his long hair that covered his face in order to see his blue eyes; his hard but kind eyes.

"I'm fine. We're partners, remember? I would have told you if something was wrong," she assured him softly. She was closer to him than ever before now. As he felt her heat, a shiver travelled down his spine. The moment ended as she gave him a crocked smile and went to attend to her work in the back of their room. Meanwhile, he stayed rooted in the spot as the tingling feeling lingered despite her absence.

His assessment of her, however, continued throughout the day. She worked tirelessly, shifting every now and then, cracking her knuckles. She rarely slept due to the amount of energy and information surging through her mind, which made him feel utterly useless. She didn't have to take on the burden by herself. Like she said, they were partners. Beside her, he bent down on one knee and she glanced up at him, her eyes questioning him as to what was wrong. He gestured to the piece of paper that had common denominators for targets; certain SAT scores, financial statuses, university graduates etc.

Kennedy was immediately touched by his desire to help her, giving him the paper and a pen.

"Alright. We have to write an algorithm to narrow everything down. Here's what you need to do…" she explained everything to him and he nodded, listening attentively. While he did his task, she hooked her wires and gears together with a small smile appearing on her face. Grumpy was like her gentle giant, but not so gentle when it came to her protection. While she was never good at making friends and did not particularly want any, he was the exception. The one thing he couldn't protect her from, however, was the paranoia. The fear of running out of time was absolute and foremost in her mind. Every day she smiled at him but it was all a farce as the pressure of millions of people's lives weighed down on her.

She needed to complete this thing in order to insert the back door mechanism so she could save them all. This failsafe would have to be implemented on the day itself and within the time slot from the launch. By who was capable of such a risky operation?

Thankfully, she had someone in mind. She was going to design it in a way that HYDRA couldn't access, even when or if she was dead which was going to be an unfortunate reality. She accepted that once they discovered the back door, they were going to kill her. Death didn't scare her but nowadays she asked herself if life was so bad. It wasn't as bad as she had previously thought as her thoughts always drifted back to Grumpy, her first real friend. The situation wasn't so bad when he was around. She liked to tease him, talk to him and he made her feel like she mattered. She was pretty sure that she made him feel the same way.

When was she going to tell him? Not just about the back door but her other secret? They had established some form of trust between each other but he was still HYDRA's. If she told him she wouldn't be sure as what he would do. She felt that it was better to keep it to herself for a while.

Jerking her out of her reverie, Grumpy gave her the paper, done with his task. Kennedy took it, and smiled, reading the flawless algorithm.

"I'm impressed, Grumpy. This is great. Thank you," her bright grin made him feel good. He was pleased that she was pleased even though his expressions were devoid of any emotion.

"Is there anything else?" he asked her, wanting to help again.

"No, that's fine thank you. If there is, I'll let you know," she replied and patted his arm fondly.

"No you won't." While his tone was dead serious, it made her laugh.

"You know me very well. I'm serious." He knew that she wasn't going to ask him. It was one of her admirable flaws; taking on all the work and thinking about others first, he realized.

A knock came from the door and Rumlow entered to their surprise. The soldier immediately tensed and shifted so that Kennedy was behind him, while she didn't even bother to look up at all.

"Down, boy. Pierce asked me to look in on her," Rumlow laughed. The soldier continued to stare him down.

"You know, if you people continue to breathe down my neck, I won't be getting any work done at all. Report that back to headquarters like a good errand boy," Kennedy said sarcastically, scribbling down some notes. Rumlow stepped forward and in a flash the soldier grabbed his upper arm.

"Keep your distance," the asset growled. Rumlow scoffed and extended his head to catch a glimpse of her.

"Hey, if you ever get bored, my room is right down the hall," he suggested with a sly smile.

"I'd rather use my brain cells constructively, thank you," Kennedy's tone was distant and bored as she continued to hook more wires and gears together. Rumlow's pride visibly decreased. His eyes met the angry soldier's who detected that he was becoming nervous. The asset shoved him roughly and Rumlow exited, muttering under his breath.

The soldier was able to breathe freely. Looking back at Kennedy, he couldn't help but worry about the coming days. Not was he just concerned about her physical well-being and the presence of multiple threats but also her emotional state. She couldn't go on like this much longer; she was running on fumes. The pressure to finish the machine by the deadline was slowly eating at her despite her claims that she was fine. He could tell by the way she nervously bit her fingernails, fingers gripping her hair and wiping away at the perspiration on her forehead. Then again, she was relentless and always had the last word.

For a few hours, he played with the coin she gave him. Silence filled the room which was eerily unusual. He would have heard the rustling of paper or clinking of metal but now he heard nothing. He immediately got up from his bed and found Kennedy lying on her side on the ground. Panicking, he rushed over to her but let out a sigh of relief as he heard her steady breathing and soft snoring. She had fallen asleep, thankfully. She needed it desperately. Trying his best not to disturb her and with gentleness he didn't believe he was capable of, he scooped her up into his arms. She mumbled something and instead rested her head against his shoulder, unknowingly wrapping her small arms around his neck. He carried her across the room, effortlessly ignoring her untidiness and carefully placed her on her bed. He stayed there for a few moments and brushed her soft hair out of her face, fascinated at the startling shade of yellowish white. He stood up and looked at the door in contemplation. Kennedy was vulnerable like this and without a second thought, with increasing determination; he took his gun, sat on the floor with his back against her bed and vigilantly stared at the door.

Kennedy stretched and groaned approvingly at the relieving sensation. She didn't want to get up, her pillow being so soft-

Her eyes shot open and realized that she was in her bed. While she was grateful for this mysterious teleportation, she distinctly remembered herself on the floor.

"What the hell?" Her attention then diverted to her soldier, whose back was against her bed. He was facing the door with his gun at the ready on his knee.

"Grumpy?" she called uncertainly. He looked back at her, the sound of her voice resulting in a microscopic smile.

"Please don't tell me that you were up all night?" She already knew the answer but she had to ask. He simply shrugged in response.

"I refuse to let you deprive yourself of sleep for me. Never again. I'm serious," her tone was firm, her green eyes troubled. He didn't want her to be troubled but it was for her sake.

"It's to keep you safe," he stated as if it was the most normal thing to do, as if there was no choice or thought. Why would she be upset? She was his mission after all.

"That's sweet, Grumpy. But I'm as safe as I can be. You're here with me already."

"I don't trust who's **in here** with us." He was referring to all HYDRA staff again, particularly the men. As if on cue, Rumlow opened the door boldly, invading their space.

"Asset, Pierce wants you to train today. He knows how restless you've been and we all have a mission coming up," he deadpanned but smiled when he saw Kennedy.

"Morning, gorgeous. I trust you slept well?"

"Morning, motherfucker. I had the most pleasant dream of me castrating you," she replied just as sweetly.

"You kiss your parents with that mouth?"

"Got none. I turned out fine." Rumlow clenched his jaw in annoyance.

"On your feet, Asset. Time to move. You're on a strict schedule with the strike team today. Walsh has to stay here and work." Grumpy didn't move from her side and probably wasn't going to do anytime soon if it weren't for Kennedy's input.

"Hey. I'll come see you later, I promise." Kennedy put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. His eyes showed hesitancy and displeasure in leaving her.

"When I'm taking a break I'll come find you," she coaxed and then whispered, "I don't want you to get in trouble." His heart softened slightly at her concern. Every day she displayed great amounts of care for him which was the first time someone had done that. He slowly nodded at her proposition.

"Lock the door?" he asked her and she nodded silently. He smoothly rolled to his feet and left, but not without gazing at her a last time. She yawned and smoothed out her hair from its tangled state. He couldn't help but think that it suited her.


	6. Chapter 6

The punching bag absorbed all of his negative energy. He punched it as hard as he could, resulting in this one being his 4th bag on the rail. His hair was wet and sticking to his face and he breathed in and out in concentration, his bare muscles being hit by the cool air conditioning. His mind constantly wandered to Kennedy. Was she ok? Was she exerting herself? Did she keep her promise by locking the door? He frequently glanced at the entrance of the gym only to be disappointed. She wasn't here yet. To pass the time, he punched, kicked and sent the bags flying off the rail like clockwork. He needed to be constantly ready to protect her, as well as working in the field. However, he was reluctant to include her in the next mission. Why did Pierce want her in such a dangerous environment? He hated the idea and if he could have hidden her from his superiors, he would have. As a matter of fact, he would have taken her and ran. But those thoughts were dangerous and he had to keep them suppressed. Instead he slammed and hit and kicked again and again until the ill-fated punching bag flew off. This time, his head snapped up at a yelp. The bag landed at Kennedy's feet while she had a hand to her heart, laughing.

"Whoa," she breathed. His posture immediately straightened when he saw her and was glad she was here and safe. He saw that she changed into a loose white t shirt, her hair out and flowing and he couldn't help but think how open and free she looked.

Again, Grumpy had his shirt off. Some higher power decided to torment her and make her walk in on him working out. Seriously? It was bad enough that they shared a room but now she had to always see him half-naked. She wasn't complaining but at the same time, it was bad for her concentration. Her attraction to him was not a secret, despite the fact that he was oblivious and didn't understand it which made him even cuter. He stood before her sweaty and shirtless with bandages wrapped around his knuckles for the punching bag; every girls' dream. She coughed to shake off her awkwardness and smiled.

"Had a good workout I see," she said gesturing to the pathetic bag on the floor. It didn't stand a chance against her Grumpy.

"Did I scare you?" he asked quietly looking down at his hands.

"Huh? No, why would that scare me?" she shrugged and watched him. He didn't meet her eyes and she could tell that it was bothering him.

"You think I'm afraid of you?" she asked trying to get him to look at her. He sighed, looking at his feet.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did," he admitted, a hint of self-loathing in his voice. He was afraid of her being fearful of him. While the winter soldier was not frightened of anything, this was the one exception. He was supposed to be her protector, nothing less.

"Grumpy, you've done so much for me. You've done nothing to prove me otherwise." The confidence in her tone was soothing.

"Let's talk about something else," she declared, looking around the room at the equipment and associated paraphernalia.

"Want to show me some moves?" she suggested with a hint of mischief. Inwardly, she kind of wanted to show off a bit.

"No," he shook his head, adamantly.

"Come on. You've been so on edge with me being by myself. I have basic self-defense you know. You could show me more. It wouldn't hurt to try." She crossed her arms and he scoffed, clearly seeing that she wasn't going to let it go. He walked past her to get the last viable bag and hung it up on the railing. She came closer so he moved behind her, her back almost pressed against his chest. She was distracting to him as his mind lingered on how nice she smelled, how petite she was.

"Um, Grumpy?" she asked him, pulling him out of his daydreaming. His eyes then roamed over her arms and saw strange black patterns on her arm. He curiously ran a metal finger over her smooth skin as he saw tiny moon phases running up from her wrist to her forearm.

"Yeah, I have a tiny obsession with space," her laugh was breathy, "Stop stalling."

"Make a fist," he started, "remember not to tuck your thumb in…" he trailed off when he saw her doing it already, "Now punch the bag." Her tiny fist made a defining punch which was loud and confident. He nodded and stepped back, impressed.

"Good. Now punch me," he said. She gaped and shook her head.

"I'm not going to punch you," she refused.

"You told me that you could defend yourself." If it was to make him feel any better about leaving her alone sometimes, she shrugged and socked him in jaw, sending his head to the side. While it didn't hurt very much, he was surprised as to how so much power came from someone so small and fragile.

"Sorry," her eyes were filled with regret as she reached for his cheek. Her fingers smoothly brushed his stubbly jaw to check for any damage.

"Don't be," he swallowed. Her touch made him forget what else he was going to say. Eventually he found his voice, "You have the element of surprise. You have an advantage." She smiled proudly with her hands on her hips.

"Yo, Muscle! Brain! It's time to suit up. Mission starts in 2 hours!" Rumlow called. It didn't escape the soldier's notice that Rumlow was staring at them angrily due to their closeness.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, we're coming," she snapped. Kennedy sighed and unthinkingly held out her hand for Grumpy. He looked at her, the edge in his expression softening a degree as he took her hand.

The amount of James Bond and British spy movies did not prepare her for this. Kennedy pulled up the zip of her tight black suit and put on her gloves; a gun was given to her for good measure, just in case, and strapped securely to her thigh. Apparently, the mission was divided into sub-missions. While the men including Grumpy were supposed to do something (they refused to tell her) she was tasked with sneaking in to a nearby building to commandeer a vital power source for her machine. The building schematics were simple. There was a nice escapable alleyway and a convenient back door for her to go through while Grumpy and the strike team raised hell outside. Hence, muscle and brains. In addition to that, it had to be perfect and punctual with no loss of time whatsoever. So she was calculating the amount of time it would take for both missions to be conducted. Averaging on her speed in hacking and her faith in Grumpy's efficiency, she estimated a minute and a half. Grumpy came out of the bathroom and he looked great. It was a change from his t-shirt and black cargos as he was now all in black which she couldn't help but admire. He had a weird mask in his hands which she assumed was to protect his identity.

"Time to go, Grumpy. Let's get this over with," she said and they exited the room. A few tunnels later, they met with the strike team who halted their speech when they arrived. No one said anything.

"Are we waiting on someone?" Kennedy asked awkwardly. The team gave her their undivided attention which was strange and somewhat creepy.

"Actually, you're the boss for today," an older guy spoke up with his arms crossed over his chest, as if tolerating her presence.

"Wow. Awesome. Ok..." She held out her tablet and they all formed a circle around her to see the screen, surrounding her with testosterone. Ugh.

"You guys, do you're thing, and I do mine. After that, Grumpy will meet me by the alley exit and the drivers will be 10 metres away to pick us up. We all have 90 seconds. Anyone not there at the specified time will be left behind and you will have to contend with the alarms and police. Simple, yeah?" The strike team was surprisingly coherent, nodding and not commenting. 'Thank God,' she thought.

They loaded up into the vans and the doors closed, surrounding them in partial darkness as some light from the gaps of the doors gave them some sense of sight. Kennedy's heart jumped every few minutes from adrenaline. Grumpy, as if sensing her nervousness, turned his gaze towards her. He now had his goggles and mask on, the latter covering his nose and mouth and she couldn't help but think it sinister. She was not afraid, just cautious. She knew he was a soldier and assassin but seeing it for the first time was odd. But, to her he was still Grumpy, her friend, her protector, her partner. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and smiled gently at him.

The soldier didn't want her to come. It was a conflict zone and she could get hurt. But, she needed to do this or else HYDRA would hurt her, which he wasn't going to allow. Thoughts of running away with her constantly plagued his mind. Every day he walked through the hall ways, exits and back doors searing their locations in his mind. Was it possible? He never considered it before because he never had anyone to protect before. He needed to think fast as the deadline was slowly but surely approaching. The van jerked to a stop and Kennedy immediately started the count down.

"Go!" she commanded and the doors swung open to blinding light. Grumpy grabbed her hand and they ran, Kennedy clutching the tablet tightly to her chest. The alley came into view and they saw the door that was elevated on a platform. Grumpy hoisted her onto the platform, his hands under her arms like a child. She crouched down to his level, panting due to lack of breath.

"80 seconds, Grumpy. No less," she heaved. Grumpy nodded sharply and took off while Kennedy got to work. She placed a decrypting device on the door (which she proudly designed herself) and it flung open like magic which made her smirk at the poor security protocols. The hallway was fortunately empty, the security guards probably patrolling the rest of the floor. She hurriedly followed the tablet's map, quickly peaking around corners to find room 145. The next corner however, had a security guard: a quite corpulent one too. He was stunned when he saw her and then his eyes narrowed in suspicion. His eyes landed on her gun and he pulled out his in response.

"Don't move," he growled coming closer.

"Oh Jeez, I don't have time for this," she complained and her hand twitched to her gun on reflex but she refrained from using it. He then rushed her, ready to grab her arm.

"No!" she shot her hand out and an invisible force made him fly back into the wall, his head noisily cracked against the hard surface. "No, not now," she whispered clutching her hand. Tears filled her eyes as blood started to seep onto the floor. What had she done? A sob escaped her lips and she looked at her watch, seeing that she had 50 seconds left.

"I'm so sorry," her voice cracked as she stepped around him to reach room 145, just a few paces away. Again, she placed the decrypting device onto the door and it popped open with no alarms going off. The room was dark, with one light illuminating it. It was a rare rock that she needed to power her machine, a glowing green crystal/gem infused in a dark volcanic-like rock that fostered sustainable and never ending energy. It was compatible with technology and did not melt metal which was perfect. The company that tested it, the building she was currently in, found it in South Africa and had it sent here for further analysis. It was from space and was speculated to have a sort of consciousness to it. The press didn't release anything on it, hence the lack of security as they thought no one knew anything yet, but she, of course hacked into the company's mainframe and got into the main scientist John Cobalt's notes without difficulty.

The rock was in a glass case and its respective lead carrier was underneath the desk. She quickly disarmed the alarm codes, carefully scooped it up, grateful that she wore gloves due to its heat and unusual energy, carefully placing it in the metal carrier. She sprinted out of the room and past her memorized corners, whimpering at the dead security guard lying face down on the floor. Another security who had heard the commotion came running toward her.

She bolted in panic and out the door. Thankfully at the same time, Grumpy came running toward her. He took the carrier from her and then her hand as the van pulled up in time. They dove into the back, taking off. Grumpy dropped the lead box on the car floor and took her face in his hands, desperately checking her for injuries. She let him fuss over her, staring into space, thinking about security guard. He probably had a family, simple life and she ruined everything. This wasn't the first time her "affliction" did something like this. She always acted horribly towards people on the outside, being arrogant and unfeeling. But inside, she was so scared, ashamed and hurt, like normal people; she did care. That security guard didn't deserve any of it. Grumpy tilted her face up so he could see her eyes, but she refused to look at him.

"Kennedy," he whispered. While this was supposed to be a significant moment, since it was the first time he said her name, she couldn't bring herself to react. She blinked and his hand brushed away hair that she didn't realize was in her eyes.

The soldier's heart pounded loudly from panic. Kennedy was not acknowledging him whatsoever, her eyes vacantly staring ahead. It achingly reminded him of himself and he refused to let the same happen to her. It looked as if part of herself was gone. Something happened to her while he conducted his unsuccessful mission in trying to kill Fury, which didn't matter, now, only her. He said her name again and she didn't answer. The van jerked to a stop as they arrived at the base. The strike team stepped around them, grunting in annoyance, and finally leaving them alone. Kennedy blinked several times and took a moment to find her voice.

"I…I need a shower," she mumbled and slowly got up from her place on the ground, leaving him in the van confused and afraid for her.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Once again, thanks for reviewing people! Keep them coming! Sorry for the short chapter because I had a bit of a setback with the next one, but do not fear! It will be coming soon.**

A long shower it was. Hot steaming water poured over her head, back and shoulders, as if the scalding water could burn away her sins. She couldn't tell if she was crying or not. She stayed there and sat looking blankly at the bathroom wall for what seemed like an hour, watching the swirling steams of vapor rise and dissipate. She was jealous of water's airy form. It was free and she wasn't. Turning off the water, she dried herself off and changed into loose sweatpants, a tank top and shrugged on a blue hoodie. She exited the bathroom with her hair in a wet and tangled mess. She knew she looked like shit but she didn't care. As expected, Grumpy was sitting on her bed, playing with his coin nervously and snapped up his head when he saw her. She said nothing and crawled into the bed next to him. She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"Grumpy, I killed someone," she muttered, tears beginning to form, "I didn't mean to…it was an accident…." Her excuse sounded pathetic in her ears. The soldier suspected it the moment he saw her face in the car. He suddenly grew hot with hatred towards HYDRA, towards Pierce, everybody for putting her in this position. His fists clenched but he relaxed when he saw her retreating into herself even more. She didn't need his hatred now. She needed him, just as much as he needed her. He moved closer to her and pried her arms from her legs.

"You had no choice. It was your mission," he convinced her. She stared at him for a long time.

"Grumpy, I have something to tell you…" she trailed off softly, afraid of surveillance, "I'm not….normal." That statement made him confused. What did she mean? Yes, she was strange but that was part of her personality, which he found quite agreeable. A knock came from the door and Rumlow came with her package, trying to ignore the asset's closeness to the medium.

"Pierce wants you to get to work right away," he said.

"Tell Pierce he could shove it. I'll do it tomorrow," she muttered in annoyance. Rumlow grunted and left.

Grumpy turned back to let her explain but she shook her head, "Forget it." Not long after that, they retired to their respective beds. Kennedy curled up in bed, ashamed that she couldn't get it out. She had to tell him eventually. She owed him so much. Was it that she was scared of him telling HYDRA? Or was it that she was frightened of him not accepting her?

Rumbling booms and gunshots filled his ears. A war zone. Men were screaming at each other to clear the line of fire. A man, blonde and muscular with a red and blue shield led them on. His vision rippled to a snowy mountain with a train zooming past on its side. He was holding on for dear life, the blonde man straining to reach him. The terror he felt was agonizing. He was going to die. "NO!" Then everything went dark and cold.

The soldier woke up with a cold sweat and moved his sheets to find them damp. He looked around the dark room and saw Kennedy crouching down next to his bed, watching him with concern. Just her presence alone seemed to calm him quite a bit.

"Looks like we're both screwed up," she gave a little scoff. He was relieved to see her partially back to her normal self. His nightmare imprinted itself in his brain. What the hell was that? Who was that man?

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked ironically when she wouldn't even speak about her own problems. He didn't answer.

"Plenty of time for that later, I guess." An idea then occurred to her, "Help me with this." She gestured to the bed and gripped the headboard. He confusedly took the opposite end and they carried it to place it…right against hers. His stomach was doing that annoying flippant behavior. The soldier saw that she didn't want him to be alone and she didn't want to be either. Did she have nightmares too? Whatever the reason, his heart slowed to a steady beat and the jitters left his body.

They both climbed in their makeshift king size bed and lay down on their sides, saying nothing, looking at each other. It was a peaceful, comfortable silence that became common place in their time together. They would not say anything, but rather remained grateful for each other's presence. Their strange friendship was not made entirely of words; Kennedy knew that for sure since Grumpy spoke minimally. However, she didn't mind and she knew that Grumpy appreciated it.

"I forgot to ask how your mission went," she said, getting comfortable, slightly punching her pillow to support her head properly.

"I failed," he replied tightly, feeling ashamed and irritated at his failure. He knew he had to complete it as soon as possible. He couldn't take her with him since she had to stay and work on the machine. He didn't understand why he was supposed to protect her when HYDRA kept separating him from her. It made no sense. What was really going on? It came to his attention that this was the first time that he legitimately questioned the people he worked for.

"Do you think we will ever leave this chaos, Grumpy?" He tried to make his expression as impartial as possible. Should he tell her about his idea? It would be safer for her if he didn't. If he was discovered, he would be punished, yes, but she wouldn't get it as bad. When he didn't reply, she gave him a sad smile.

"Yeah. I don't think so either." She sat up and sighed sadly, wrapping her arms around her knees, watching the wall in contemplation. The soldier sat up as well, trying to discern what she was thinking.

"You're going back out there. Probably soon," she stated, looking at him with sympathetic eyes. He slowly nodded, hating their unjustly circumstances. So they waited in a tense and defeated silence, waiting for the marching steps of combat boots to approach their door. The HYDRA agents did not disappoint as soldiers burst into the room and threw Grumpy's mask/muzzle into his lap.

"Time to suit up, asset. Mission starts in half an hour," the leader ordered gruffly.

Grumpy's gaze turned to Kennedy, not acknowledging the commander.

"I'll lock the door. Be careful, yeah?" she told him. He did not answer, instead putting on his mask and following his superiors out the door to his next mission, not knowing what exactly he was going to find there.

Pierce and the behavioural scientists watched their pair on the camera. The attachment was so pronounced. They couldn't be without each other. She was quickly becoming his stability system. He operated based on her doings. It was absolutely remarkable. HYDRA really did find a treasure and a convenient one at that. It was a shame that things were going to come to an end so soon. This potential romance was very entertaining. The strike team reported on their little incident in the van as well. Pierce's hypothesis was proving itself right and he was always right anyway. The last piece of the puzzle needed to fit in now. How would they fair under the pressure of the soldier's next mind sweep?


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Guys, I woke up this morning and saw 41 followers! That's amazing, thank you soooo much :)**

The soldier set up station on the roof from the apartment. Peeping through the magnifier, he saw another man who didn't matter, just his target, the man with the eye-patch. He needed to move a little more for a perfect hit…just a little….more. The soldier pulled the trigger as soon as eye-patch was in range. His target collapsed to the floor into the arms of the other man who looked directly at the soldier through the shattered window. Time to go, get back to Kennedy. His job was done here. He ran fast, jumping off rooftops and everything was a blur. He knew the man was following him. He needed to get out fast. The last rooftop came into sight; he forward rolled and dashed for the edge. Time suddenly slowed. He heard a glass shatter behind him and a whizzing sound coming towards him. His metal arm's reflexes suddenly caught what looked like a shield, throwing it back violently. Kennedy was his top priority. She came first before all else. So, he jumped from the roof top, oblivious to the fact that he was leaving a key to his past behind.

Kennedy expertly cut into the volcanic rock, cutting a fist sized piece which fell onto the table with a loud bang.

"Wicked," she said breathily and smirked. This rock wasn't simply powering a machine; it was giving power and consciousness to a new frontier of artificial intelligence.

This A.I was going to bring justice, to that security guard; to millions of people. HYDRA was going down. Those idiots didn't know anything. It was even going to give Tony Stark a run for his money. Her baby was going to be different, a more discreet system with zero chance of being hacked or compromised. She placed the remaining pieces of the rock in its black container and sighed, running a hand through her hair. Thankfully HYDRA had shampoo so it smelled decent. A horizontal opening was created for the power source and Kennedy outfitted the last of the surface pieces. While she should have been rejoicing, she couldn't. She had a week and a half left to insert the power source and God knew how long programming and training her baby would take. She was panicking. Gripping the table she breathed heavily, trying to keep herself calm.

When was Grumpy coming back? Was he ok? He was always there to help her with these little episodes of hers. He was calming, protective. Her lips turned upward fondly at the thought of her Grumpy. Out of all the events in her life, he had to be the best. Then came the little gnawing feeling which she tried her best to ignore. She shook her head and put it in the back of her mind; her thoughts didn't matter. All that did was the thousands of people's lives in her hands.

She needed to take a walk. Grumpy told her to lock the door but he couldn't keep her shut from the world in safety forever. She looked around the corridor and saw only one camera, but other than that, no other around the bend. She gave it the finger and smirked, continuing her walk. She heard voices ahead, two men. She sighed. Rumlow and another guy were coming her way. She didn't look at those pervs.

"Good evening, Walsh. What are you doing out here by yourself?" they blocked her way. She wasn't in the mood for chit chat.

"Walking away from you," she yawned and tried to step around them. Rumlow stepped in her way.

"Move, shitface," she commanded.

"I don't know what the asset told you, but we're the good guys."

"He has a name!" she snapped, "How dare you treat him like an animal? He's a person for God's sake. Then again, you people aren't exactly the advocates for human rights."

"Tell us his name then," Rumlow taunted, pretending to listen attentively. Her response fell short.

"You don't even know his name, do you? His real name? The funny thing is how you two have spent a month and a half together. Locked in that room together, joined at the hip wherever you go. God knows what's going on in there." The innuendo was not surprising.

"Is everything that comes out of your mouth garbage? My brain is atrophying as we speak." She attempted to move again. "Let me go or else the guards will be here in a second."

"Honey, all we are asking is that you give HYDRA a chance. We are trying to bring balance to the world. Your sarcasm and opposition is not making it easier. Join us and you'll see." A shiver of anger rushed through her. No way in hell was she going to comply. She assessed the situation and looked at things realistically. Obviously, they weren't going to let it go. The other guy was behind her so she couldn't bolt. She couldn't use her "gift" because she couldn't control it. It came and went. She only had one thing left. She head butted Rumlow and kicked him in his groin. He doubled over, his face screwing up in pain.

"Bitch! Your little acts of rebellion were bound to get you into trouble. You won't win. HYDRA always prevails!" Rumlow spat. He and his friend started to gang up on her and she had no idea what they were going to do to her. While she was ready to kick their asses, there was no need. Grumpy came out of nowhere, grabbed him and threw him 10 feet down the corridor. He got up, limping away and left his friend to suffer the asset's wrath. Kennedy ducked as Grumpy held the other by his neck and rammed him into the concrete.

The soldier saw nothing but red. They were going to hurt her, invading her space and plotting God knows what. His mind was fuzzy and sought pleasure in simply ending them. He knew that he shouldn't have left her. The 2nd in command of the strike team was on the ground and the soldier squeezed his throat with immense satisfaction. The man's fragility made him want to smile. How poignant. The man pathetically gargled, trying to get air. His face was turning blood red. The soldier couldn't let him live. He needed to do this for her. He took the man's head and rammed it hard against the concrete, immediately rendering him unconscious. It wasn't enough. He needed to eliminate this threat.

"Grumpy stop," he heard a calm voice call him out of his rage. He stopped and slowly looked up. Kennedy was kneeling on the floor, watching him with concerned eyes.

No, no, no. She couldn't see him like this. He looked down at his hands around the man's neck and instantly let go. He didn't regret almost killing the man; he regretted losing control in front of her. Now he was painted as the thing he never wanted her to see. But, she did not look at him as such. Her eyes never held that hint of fear, sweat not dripping from her brow, not gulping. She was solely focused on him. She looked down at the man and her expression was one of…resolve? She was very calm, like she accepted it.

Behind Grumpy, came Rumlow, carrying a tranquilizer gun, pointing it at him. By the time Grumpy turned around, Kennedy was screaming.

"No!" She armed shot out and Rumlow went flying. He smashed into the wall down the wall, head against the horizontal surface first. He stayed there for a few moments before dropping to the floor, knocked out cold. Kennedy's blood ran cold with fear. She saw no blood, for which she was relieved. But her eyes then turned to her soldier. Grumpy stared at Rumlow for a long time and then turned to her in slight shock.

The soldier was stunned which happened rarely. His mind was still processing what Kennedy did. She didn't even touch him. He turned to her and saw tears streaming from her face, eyes fearful. Why was she crying? She saved him.

"You can't tell anyone, please," she pleaded desperately, her voice cracking. Both turned their heads to down the hall as multiple footsteps approached. The soldier immediately stood and placed himself in front of her. Pierce arrived and observed Rumlow and the unconscious agent, saying nothing.

"Soldier, you did this?" he asked with no anger in his voice. The soldier nodded, expecting punishment.

Kennedy felt a lump in her throat; Grumpy was taking the fall for her.

"They were going to hurt her," the soldier added, trying hard to hold back his anger.

"I admit that these two always cause some commotion. They will be dealt with," Pierce nodded and gestured to the medic to make sure Kennedy was alright. The medium's health must be 'optimal' after all. The soldier immediately stepped towards her but was stopped by Pierce.

"You will join her in a few moments. The air needs to be cleared," he commanded. The soldier watched as Kennedy and the medic made their way back to the room.

"Soldier, I admire your conviction to protect your mission. But, I do not appreciate you attacking my agents. Let us conduct disciplinary measures. Understood?" The soldier nodded and was dismissed. On his way to his and Kennedy's room, he saw Rumlow sitting up, mumbling that he couldn't remember what happened exactly. Good; the soldier would have made him forget or wish that he hadn't seen anything.

Kennedy angrily eyed the doctor as he checked her vitals, which was totally unnecessary. But tonight was a disaster. She was patiently waiting for Pierce to come in and take her to experiment on. It was over and even Grumpy couldn't save her. There were no tears, sobbing or shivers; just silence and acceptance of fate.

"Nothing's wrong. Just take it easy. It will make my job less of a hastle," the doctor stated ambiguously and left. She got up from the bed, ignoring her doctor's insufferable orders; she wasn't hurt, she was fine. Grumpy walked in and tried to gently push her back onto her bed. Rumlow will one day be in the ground, he promised himself; dead and gone.

"Not tonight. You need to sleep. You are straining yourself," he attempted to convince her.

"I can't Grumpy! I have a deadline to meet…" she stubbornly replied.

" **We**." She stopped her complaining at his answer.

"What?"

" **We** have a deadline." Kennedy was speechless. He had these ways of making her feel like she was not alone in the world. Her breathing noticeably slowed. What did she do to deserve someone like him?

"Tell me what to do," he said with determination. She said nothing for a long time. However, her exhausted condition was not ideal. Any help would have been nice. Rubbing her eyes from lack of sleep, she nodded.

"The power source is installed already. Plug in the back cables to the mobile on the desk and the main computer. It will take a few hours to upload and operate. Set the power to 85%. That should be enough." Grumpy immediately got to work. She watched him do everything she asked efficiently, almost instinctively.

"Grumpy," she started to say but trailed off. Unfortunately, she admitted to herself that she needed the help. She saw that the encounter was making Grumpy visibly shake with anger, but calmed himself for her sake. His blue eyes met hers and they looked absolutely tense.

"Why did you have to endanger yourself? You could have been hurt," he scolded her harshly. She watched him incredulously and shook her head.

"Why are you mad at me? They were the ones harassing me! How was I supposed to know that they were going to be that stupid?"

"You know what they are capable of. They were going to…." He couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. He felt painfully sick to his stomach.

"You thought they were going to…oh. No they weren't, Grumpy. They may be stupid, but not that stupid," she told him in a gentler voice. He was confused as to what they were going to do to her. What else but **that**?

"They were trying to get me to swear loyalty to HYDRA or something. I refused and hit Rumlow. I…admit that it was a stupid move. I just can't stand it. They can take what they want from me, but not my integrity. I'm not going to cave to these bastards no matter what Pierce thinks." The soldier calmed down at her clarification that his assumptions were thankfully inaccurate. But, for the first time, he felt…pride; in that she had power, will and mimicked his defiant sentiments towards his oppressors. Speaking of power…

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked the agonizing question that plagued his mind. She knew it was coming. He looked slightly betrayed, trying to understand why she wouldn't tell him something as significant as this about herself.

"I was scared. I was born with it so technically speaking, I'm cursed. This…thing I have is an affliction; a poison. It has hurt people in the past…and recently. I acted the way I did back from the mission because it killed that security guard. I can't control it. It just happens. I'm afraid that if anyone found out, they would end up getting hurt. I couldn't let that happen to you. I'm not the only one that needs protecting, Grumpy." The soldier didn't understand why she would say such things about herself. He didn't know how to comfort someone, but it was getting easier for him these days.

"I used to be cursed. Not anymore. You are here," he wished he had more words to express how much she meant to him. His only friend. Truthfully, there was nothing substantial; only her. He saw her eyes gain some light back and she reached out her pinky smiling. Instinctively, he wrapped his around hers.

"I will never tell anyone," he promised. However, in his mind he wasn't just referring to her secret. It was also the fact that little by little he's been sneaking weapons from the armory, enough to keep them safe, taking clothing from both their drawers into a bag under a loose tile under his bed. He even got the chance to snag a wallet from an agent walking by. Every night, the generator had to reboot in the building for 60 seconds, cutting off power and cameras before turning back on. Every night he did this without anyone knowing, while Kennedy was asleep. She still had no idea. The day of PROJECT INSIGHT was enough for them to slip away when the fire started.

"Thank you, Grumpy," Kennedy told him gratefully. They sat there staring at each other and the soldier gulped as his eyes roamed over her face. His stomach felt odd and tingling, like something was fluttering inside. The one thing it was associated with was Kennedy, every time she was around. Their connection broke as her gaze went from him to the machine which started to make a strange sound. Stubbornly ignoring his attempts at keeping her bed ridden, Kennedy wormed her way out of his grasp to attend to her creation, with Grumpy hot on her heels.

Sitting in her chair, she moved closer to the speaker in confusion. It wasn't supposed to be up for a few hours. It should have been hibernating now. Static came from the speakers and disembodied voices.

"Hello?" she asked lowly and cautiously.

"….can….you….hear…me?" a voice ridden with interference asked as if different voices were taken from radio stations and television. She gasped and Grumpy stood still in awe. It talked. Kennedy was hypnotized, reaching out to her now operational artificial intelligence, her hand pressed gently on the surface.

"Say that again?" she asked to clarify.

"Admin…hear…me?" it asked. A single tear fell down her cheek. She did it.

"Yes," she smiled, "I can hear you." Grumpy stood behind her silently, looking on in uncertainty. While she succeeded in creating the A.I, what happened now? What was it capable of? He realized that their escape was now going to be a reality.

Kennedy couldn't believe it. This was hers now. Not only was she just going to save the world; but her creation was going to protect her and her soldier. It was also going to help her take HYDRA down.


	9. Chapter 9

The soldier grunted in his sleep, his metal hand making a tight fist which hung off the bed. He dreamed lucidly. He felt cold. He was in pain. The air he breathed was thin and his vision was blurry as white and grey swirled around him. He was moving fast on something mechanical. A train? It was a train. However, he wasn't inside, but outside, hanging on for dear life. Below him lay death; a benevolent ravine, a white entity that killed men with a single touch. He didn't want to go there. He could feel tears' forming for it was imminent. He heard an urgent voice above him and a hand reaching out.

"Take my hand!" a man, a face he couldn't place and a rooftop encounter lingered briefly in his mind. The soldier reached in desperation, not just to live but to know who he was. He felt a brief surge of triumph and he was almost within the man's grasp. The train made a sharp turn and the soldier started to slip. No, no, no! 'I need to know,' he begged in defeat, 'please.' But no one heard or cared if he fell, except for the man crying his name. The soldier shot up from his bed, hyperventilating, his body and sheets soaked in perspiration. He looked wildly across the room, searching the darkness. He was back in cryo freeze. He gripped his long hair in panic and hysteria. He couldn't breathe. The ice was coming soon. He needed to get out. The soldier fell off his bed and frantically searched the ground for something; _anything_ but he didn't know what. He didn't know what. His breathing was ragged, his vision blurry and his body was dripping with sweat. He felt someone rush to him and take his face in their hands. Suspicious of it being a HYDRA agent, he took their fragile human throat in his metal hand and squeezed. The person, whoever they were, clawed uselessly at his monstrous grip. He wasn't going to let them get to him; not again.

"Please…." he heard a feminine voice plead. He heard that voice before. But who? His eyes came into deeper focus and saw her, his genius, kind and loyal friend; the one thing he cared for. She struggled against his grip, her face turning red from lack of air. Tears were streaming down her cheeks in fear. Suddenly the door burst open and he looked up in horror. His doppelganger stood before him, uniformed and holding a pistol at his side.

"You've failed your mission, soldier. You're killing her," he told him, raised the pistol at him and pulled the trigger. The soldier's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding in his chest. His body was covered in sweat and felt around his face. Was this was real? He looked urgently over at Kennedy next to him, their beds still joined from last time. She was sleeping soundly on her side, her lips slightly parted, the most peaceful he had seen in weeks. He closed his eyes in relief as she was alive. For a few minutes he watched the rise and fall of her chest to make sure that he was no longer dreaming, the paranoia of hurting her eating away at him.

"This man is in hiding and soon to cause an interference with our plans on the big day. Your job is to intercept and kill Jasper Sitwell since his allegiance has come into question." The soldier, clad in his leather uniform, nodded obediently.

"Miss Walsh will accompany you to acquire further schematics and calculations to sync with her machine in order to proceed with PROJECT INSIGHT. Mission starts in an hour." The soldier totally objected with her in the field soon after an injury. No matter how many times she told him he was fine, he was still adamant. However, he saw no choice. She was vulnerable to these HYDRA pigs at the base. He wasn't letting her stay without him.

Back in their room, the soldier kept his physical distance from her. Kennedy sensed something off about him; she just didn't know what it was. He stayed in his normal corner and watched her work rather than being his curious self and learning. He didn't realize it but she was indirectly teaching him. She liked the idea of him being like her protégé. However, he drifted away, wrapped up in his own thoughts.

"Tesla, can you run some diagnostics on the hellicarriers' positioning please?" she asked politely.

"Yes, Kennedy," he answered and the screen went black with algorithms as he worked. She smiled. She loved the name she gave him since it was in honor of the brilliant Polish engineer and revolutionary mechanic. Her baby had become so smart. There was nothing he could not do. She got up from her corner of the room and walked over to Grumpy, her arms folded in concern.

"You've been a million miles away, yet we're in the same room," she told him sadly. The soldier saw the worried look in her eyes. He wasn't worth it; he wasn't worth her. He looked away with a stone cold expression to cover up his real thoughts. Kennedy huffed, pulled her chair and sat facing him.

"What is wrong with you? What did I do? Why aren't you talking to me?" she asked sternly and rambled slightly. He refused to look at her. He couldn't, not without seeing her fearful face from his dream.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked evenly, however, her heart sank a bit.

"No!" he whispered fiercely. Kennedy's lip turned up slightly in a smirk.

"At least you're talking now. Now tell me what's wrong." Another one of her personality traits that he had to get accustomed to was her relentlessness. He finally met her eyes.

"I…had a dream….of hurting you," his deep voice admitted in shame.

"Grumpy…"

"No. I can't keep you safe if I'm a constant danger to you."

"Grumpy, listen to me. Out of all the time we have spent together, you've never hurt me. You could have done so, but you didn't. You think it's all going to change because of a nightmare? It's absolute bullocks. You control your destiny. No one or anything else does." Her last phrase struck a chord within him. He thought about that concept for quite some time. The day of PROJECT INSIGHT was that day of taking control of himself and Kennedy. They would be safe and together. All he had to do was fulfill his missions, including not failing her in any sense of the word.

A few hours passed and it was time to assemble for their mission. However, Kennedy was not the boss this time. Her mission was plain and simple and so was Grumpy's. He was supposed to intercept the obstacle to HYDRA's plans and collect Kennedy afterwards. She had to meet a HYDRA mole from SHIELD across the street from where the soldier was going to be conducting his mission. Kennedy was suited up after taking various painkillers and they met the strike team in the loading bay like last time.

"You guys know the drill. Make sure muscle takes out our 'favourite' super soldier and Sitwell or we take them into custody," Rumlow mumbled, rubbing his head due to a headache, thankfully. Kennedy's head perked up. They were hunting Captain America? While they didn't stand a chance, she was still worried. Then a thought occurred to her. If anyone could stop HYDRA, he could. With her potential asset and the back door, he could succeed in stopping the whole operation. A plan immediately developed. What if the back door installation code she created could be somewhat relayed to her asset and consequently Captain America? If someone was actually there on the hellicarriers, they could install it and make the hellicarriers not only target HYDRA around the world as she originally planned but the hellicarriers themselves in triangulation? Less damage seemed the right way to go. She could not endanger civilians.

But how was she supposed to warn Rogers of the incoming attack? She had her mobile device with her so she discreetly asked Tesla to send a ping to Rogers. He searched through facial recognition and an image came up of him with a red headed woman, an African-American guy and…Jasper Sitwell, their target on a nearby traffic camera. Tesla scanned him for any devices on the pair and found a device on the red head. Kennedy quickly typed " **be careful** " and hit send. She wished she had more information on the mission but it would have had to suffice.

She didn't realize that Grumpy was watching her intently. She smiled encouragingly.

"Tesla's doing some updates," she told him and he nodded. She didn't like keeping it from him, but it had to be done to keep him safe. Rumlow ordered the team to load into the vans. The drive was quiet like the last time as the man only cleaned their guns (probably to look macho) while Grumpy sat silently with his sinister mask over his mouth and nose. She hated it. It was like a muzzle for a dog when he was anything but. After several minutes, the van came to a stop and the doors were flung open. Grumpy instinctively took her hand and hurriedly escorted her to the meeting point. Before his usual hesitation in leaving, she stopped him.

"Go, get it done. I'll be here. Go and then meet me here. Same spot," she said firmly letting go of his hand as she opened the front door of the office building. Looking into her eyes, he bolted and so did she. The building had a secured room numbered 2284 on the second floor, second door on the right where her contact was supposed to meet her. The door was unlocked and she walked into a claustrophobic cupboard space where a dark figure waited in the corner. He was a bearded man wearing a soldier's uniform. Posing as a SHIELD military member maybe?

"Walsh," he stated, not questioning. She nodded. He stood up and evaluated her. She sighed and waited.

"You're very young," he said.

"Really? No!" she replied sarcastically which made him chuckle darkly. He reached behind his back and pulled out a black envelope.

"Have fun with the designs. SHIELD is going to be catching their ass trying to figure out where it went." Kennedy said nothing and nodded to him in thanks. As she turned to leave, he grabbed her upper arm. She glared at him and was ready to sock him in his face but his facial expression was odd.

"I hope you know what you're doing," he said cryptically. The way he said it made it seem as if he didn't want her to help launch the programme. She slowly nodded and left.

He didn't get a close look at the man he was supposed to intercept from Pierce's files, only remembering general physical attributes; blonde hair, built physique and carrying a not so inconspicuous shield. That should have been easy enough, which it was. After leading him onto the street below where the crowds of civilians would have made it easier for him to comply in exchange for their safety, he fought his target viciously. But every time, he repelled his attacks. Relentlessness. Another quality that was fresh in his mind. It also happened to spark a vague fragment of a dirty alley way and a tiny man with a drive to never give up. That little lapse in focus caused the target to land a solid blow, sending him into a van and getting his head smashed violently against the car's glass window. After the blur of countless movements and pain that travelled through their bodies, the man flipped the soldier over his shoulder and his mask flew off. The soldier glared menacingly at him. The man before him, whose face danced around his consciousness trying to pinpoint a source gawked at him.

"Bucky?" he gasped incredulously. He realized that he met this man before…on the rooftop two weeks previously. The soldier felt his hair stand on end in response. This man knew him?

"Who the hell is Bucky?" he questioned confused. Was that his name? Instinctively on the defense, he pointed his gun at him. Suddenly, he felt the wind being knocked out of him and a sharp pain in his side. A man with large mechanical wings kicked him to the ground, only for him to recover in a millisecond. The soldier's eyes darted away from the people staring at him. What was happening? Were they here to find me, take me away from HYDRA? Will they help me? All these questions plagued him. Then, an explosion erupted behind him and he knew he couldn't stay. He desperately wanted answers however; one thing was clear in his mind. 'Kennedy,' he thought in urgency. He disappeared into the cloud of smoke, obscured in the chaos of sirens, black smoke and debris that manifested themselves in the streets. The red bricked building came into view and movement on its side caught his eye. Kennedy came into view and her eyes were filled with relief when they landed on him.

"Come on, we have to go!" her voice was raised over the noise and thankfully, the van screeched to a stop and they dove into the back's open doors.

Driving off, Grumpy's eyes roamed over her body and he was comforted in the fact that she experienced no difficulty or injuries.

"What happened out there? You were late," she asked concerned. His eyes visibly glazed over as he reminisced the encounter.

"There was a man on the bridge. He knew me…and I knew him too," he whispered to her. Her eyes widened.

"Who? What's his name?"

"I don't know. But I'm going to find out."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you for your kind words and I'm very glad that I'm destroying you all with epic feels :) Sorry for taking long with this chapter. If future updates take longer that's because I got my first job this week but don't worry! This story will get its necessary attention. Enjoy and keep those reviews coming! BTW: any couple names in mind?**

The soldier sat stoically in the chair as the mechanics repaired his arm. His partner was just getting her mobile from their room, soon to return. Ignoring the sparking, incessant vibrations and tinkering gears filling his senses, his mind wandered. Flashbacks played over and over again. He was unaware of his erratic movements, not bothering to notice one of the engineers lying on the ground unconscious. Armed weapons pointing at him from all directions did nothing to bring him back to reality as he only focused on trying to put the pieces back together. Where was Kennedy? He came to the revelation that her presence made things bearable. She prevented his mind from returning to its chaotic hell. What was taking her so long?

Pierce decided that now was the time for the mind sweep experiment. How was the soldier to respond to her, if he did or didn't remember her? If the behavioural doctor's assumptions were proven right, then his memories of her would remain intact. By the level of attachment, he was bound to remember her. Pierce entered the bank vault, flanked by the leading strike team, including Rumlow and individuals from "SHIELD". The men lowered their guns on command.

"Mission report," Pierce's voice did not evoke any response from the soldier. Their asset simply stared into space with a blank and dead expression as he dealt with the images surging through his destroyed mind. Pierce repeated himself which he despised doing, once again receiving no response from the soldier. He discreetly motioned to the guard to bring in his witty companion. Crouching down to his level, Pierce backhanded him, causing the soldier's head to whip to the other side, his cheek stinging slightly. He knew he had to get answers now.

"There was a man on the bridge. Who was he?" he asked. Pierce had a feeling this was going to happen which made his plans even more credible.

"You met him earlier this week on another assignment." The soldier wanted to snap his neck for dodging the truth.

"I knew him." The soldier's tone was absolute. Pierce did his best to explain the gravity of the situation, his importance to this world. But the soldier wouldn't take it. Instead he answered,

"But I knew him." Moments later Kennedy entered the room, escorted by Pierce's guards. Her gaze immediately fell upon Grumpy, her expression one of confusion and unease. The soldier sat up when he saw her, his eyes asking her the same thing. He also didn't like the guard being so close to her. He observed how the man had his hand absently on his gun.

"Hm. I see Miss Walsh has rubbed off on you during your time together. Prep him." His stomach dropped. No, no, no, no! He couldn't forget everything. Not the man and most importantly not her. He couldn't lose her. He breathed heavily in panic. The doctors pushed him into the seat and strapped him down like an animal ready to be slaughtered. "No," Kennedy breathed as her eyes widened with fear. Her heart beat ferociously in her chest, each thud against her ribcage increasing in volume. She made a desperate attempt to push past the HYDRA agents restraining her, but she remained unsuccessful.

"NO!" she exclaimed in panic. "What are you going to do to him?! Let him go, you bastards. I'll kill all of you!" she screamed, clawing at the arms of her captors, relentless in her attempt at freeing herself from their strong hold so she could get to her Grumpy. The soldier's eyes widened and he vehemently shook his head when his eyes met hers. The greatest part of their relationship was that talking and speech was not paramount for communication. It was all in the eyes. Eyes held all the emotions one could express to a person. They held anger, care, concern; he revealed all his thoughts to her through his tumultuous blue orbs. She knew what they were telling her; 'stop', 'don't do this', 'no one can know about you', 'be safe for the both of us'. The tears she was fighting back broke loose and began cascading down her rosy cheeks. The soldier gave her another look; 'be strong', 'finish everything'. She tried her best to hold back a sob, instead releasing it in a shaky breath. The soldier passively opened his mouth for the doctor to place the mouth guard. Pierce stared at his asset unsympathetically as the machine turned on.

The soldier was not created to feel fear, but that didn't prevent him from breathing heavily in anticipation of the pain. His eyes held hers throughout. 'I will not forget! She is your mission, soldier. You will not fail her!' Kennedy urgently struggled against the agent that held her back, her eyes never leaving Grumpy's. Volts upon volts of electricity fired through his being, causing him to shake against his restraints. He let out an agonizing cry which echoed throughout the vault in a crescendo with the blood-curdling scream of his companion. Then he started to forget little things, the most trivial things, waking up in the morning, what he ate for breakfast. All the while he watched her, his body writhing in pain, and his eyes desperately holding onto hers in an attempt to remain strong.

Pierce departed this "touching" moment between his two favourite operatives, trying to hold back a smirk. 'The outcome of this test is going to be very interesting,' he thought.

The torture continued for another few minutes. Kennedy eventually stopped struggling, wanting to wretch upon the bank vault floor. How could she be so stupid? They've been erasing his memories all along. She thought it was extreme PTSD that he was dealing with but rather it was a literally damaged brain structure. She realized that she knew nothing about him or how HYDRA came by him. Who was he before? She was so wrapped up in Tesla's creation that she didn't even think to find out about him. She was a bitch, selfish and undeserving of anyone and everything. Now he wouldn't remember her. Maybe it was for the best. She didn't deserve him. Maybe it was best to send her back to prison.

The procedure ended and the atmosphere of the room was tense with the doctors' and strike team's caution and anxiety. The soldier's erratic breathing slowed as the machine powered down. His eyes opened and closed in exhaustion and as they finally decided to remain open he took in the room. The doctor with a bow tie hovered over him hesitantly. The soldier's metallic arm shot out and had a windpipe in a tight grip. The strike team immediately raised their guns; the one holding Kennedy pushed her roughly to the floor. The soldier noted this movement and his eyes fell on her.

Kennedy's heart broke. Grumpy didn't recognize her. His eyes looked at her coldly which then transformed into confusion and searching almost instantaneously. She could not move. She wasn't sure what he was going to do, but she wasn't afraid. No matter what, he was still her friend; her protector. He glared at the doctor and threw him to the ground, making him crawl away quickly. The soldier shakenly stood up from the chair and made his way to her. Slightly wobbling, he collapsed onto his knees before her. Neither said anything, both trying to assess each other.

The soldier knew her. He vaguely placed a strange name to her soft face. Something with a K? He remembered that it sounded a bit odd. Her eyes; they were kind, somewhat mischievous. White hair; looking strange and soft. He slowly reached out to touch the strands of hair on her face and felt her quiver slightly. 'Was she afraid?' he thought. He didn't want her to be. She was important; a mission. Was she his friend? He didn't even have any friends.

Images flickered before him. She was sitting on the floor, the two of them near a punching bag, she stared vacantly into space as he tried to talk to her and…she saved him. With a special gift that was their secret. Their secret.

The unearthly girl uncertainly reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver object; a large coin. She tremblingly held it out for him to take. His fingers slowly brushed along its cool metal surface and as if instinctively, he placed it on his knuckles and it rolled between his fingers. She began to smile.

"Grumpy?" she asked softly. She always called him that. Kennedy. Her name was Kennedy; his mission. His very special mission. He didn't forget.

The group assembled in the room and watched the remarkable scene unfold before them. In the darkness, at the back of the room, Pierce smirked. So the soldier did remember and rather quickly, he added. This was one step closer; closer to the perfect soldier and a perfect world. It was a win- win, and HYDRA always won.

The soldier's memory began to restore itself as he and Kennedy retired to their room. He saw their joined beds and remembered their conversations, their little attempts to make the situation better. His eyes searched the room and remembered her latest creation. He reminisced in the desire to keep her safe, away from here. He didn't bother to look because of the cameras and remembered a duffle bag under the floor. Their getaway on PROJECT INSIGHT day. Midnight for 60 seconds he prepared. Kennedy sat on her bed and ran a hand through her white hair. The soldier didn't like that she was stressed over him. He sat on the bed next to her and waited for her to say something.

"I should have known what they were doing to you. I thought you had amnesia from a previous experience, but I didn't know they were inducing it all this time. I was so caught up with Tesla that I didn't even…" she started to blame herself and the soldier wouldn't have it.

"There was nothing that you could have done," he cut her off immediately. To be honest, he didn't even consider her trying to get information on his past. It would put her in danger. He gazed at her with a bit of an edge on his eyes. She knew that he disliked it when she took on everything, the blame, the pressure. She knew that he was bothered by it. Why couldn't she see that it wasn't her fault?

Kennedy mentally slapped herself to get it together. Self-loathing and blame was getting them nowhere. She decided to find out the truth. Her finger brushed against the mobile next to her on the bed, asking Tesla for a favour.

As they spoke quietly and in comfortable pauses and intervals, Tesla speedily and unknowingly slipped through HYDRA's firewall and acquired some interesting information. 'Important to admin,' he thought. Anything important to his admin was crucial. Files were copied, one by one and passed through facial recognition. A 100% match corresponded with camera images from earlier on in the week, when the soldier was speaking with his admin. A file popped up with a **CONFIDENTIAL** tag to it. The file was under the name: JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES. Admin needed to see this.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Heller people! sorry for the wait but thank you so much again for your support :) keep reviewing! I hunger for more feedback!**

Steve Rogers looked down at Natasha's phone in confusion. Someone knew about that ambush in town and decided to warn them, but who? Whoever they were, they knew beforehand and sent it to them privately, in secret. Was someone helping them from the inside? Was it Bucky? He doubted the latter since he didn't even recognize him. That man was not his best friend; the one who fought with him through every war imaginable, on the battlefield, the playground and even in himself. That man he saw wasn't his brother.

Steve felt his heart break all over again; as he once did at the exact moment his best friend fell from that train and as he watched him plunge into the icy depths below. Self-loathing crept into his heart as he realized the ironic and unjust parallels between Bucky and himself. He got an opportunity to start over; Bucky didn't. He was an experiment, created to save people; "The Winter Soldier" was created to kill. He and Bucky were on the same side before. How was it right for them to now become enemies? He couldn't lose him again; it was not an option.

Steve sat through his internal storm alone in the underground bunker where Fury was in hiding. Romanoff and Hill were being briefed by Fury in the next room while Steve slipped away for a moment to be by himself. He continued to look down at the phone, his face tense with frustration. He will never fully understand this technology thing. Why couldn't it just remain at the level of a radio and normal lighting? Not "smart phones" and tablets or whatever.

"Rogers!" a voice called. His head snapped up and he made his way to Fury's room. Hill, Romanoff, Fury and Sam sat at a table, ready to discuss their mountain of issues.

"PROJECT INSIGHT launches in 10 hours people. We have to figure out a way to stop those hellicarriers from killing everyone. Unfortunately the schematics are gone so there's no way of accessing them. That leaves us with limited options," Fury's monotonous voice echoed through the dank, dimly lit room.

"There is a way, but it guarantees that we will all be killed. We can get the hellicarriers to triangulate and target only each other if we plant a virus. However, it takes an hour to do and it has to be uploaded in the hellicarrier itself. That's the only viable option we have," Hill imputed with a hint of defeat.

"That's it?! There has to be something?" Romanoff exclaimed. It surprised everyone since she rarely lost her smooth persona. It just emphasized the desperation of everyone in the room. Steve couldn't help but notice Hill staring at the phone in his hands, which still displayed the message they received earlier.

"Can I see that?" she asked and took the phone even without his approval. Hill stared at the message as if she were trying to decipher a puzzle.

"Hill? Care to share?" Fury asked sarcastically.

"Sir, I think I know who sent this," she answered. She pressed a button and suddenly the message transformed into rows of code and instructions.

"I don't believe it," she said astonished. One should note that Maria Hill was neither astonished nor impressed. She showed Fury the phone message and he raised his eyebrows in surprise which was also a rare occurrence. So she somehow found a way to help them. They supposed prison was not capable of holding her for long. She was too smart for that place anyway. Knowledge such as hers always got her places.

"You know there are other people in this room, right? Who are you talking about?" Sam injected impatiently.

"We just found our ticket to saving the world," Fury answered.

The day of the Project Insight launch unfortunately arrived and the HYDRA base was pulsing with activity and anxiety. Tesla was up and running and Kennedy had to rely on her hunch that Maria Hill received her underlying message. She was Maria Hill; of course she did.

Kennedy was ordered to the launch room where she was supposed to collaborate with the HYDRA computer scientists to make sure things went as smoothly and accordingly as they hoped. Grumpy followed closely behind her.

He tried his best to get the annoying jitters out of his hands. Today was significant, not only because of the launch, but because they were going to run. No memory wipe could have gotten rid of that feeling, that first taste of freedom; a freedom that involved the two of them living. The soldier silently looked on as Kennedy took her place at the front of the station where Tesla's main structure stood, plugged into the colossal computer screens. She looked around in uncertainty and glanced back at him. The soldier dipped his head, indicating that he was here and with her. She gave him a small smile in return and turned back around, ordering her team to get to work.

"Asset, Pierce requests your presence," an agent commanded. With one last glance at Kennedy, he walked out the door to find his wrinkled superior waiting for him. The soldier sensed something different about him. It was not a good feeling. It was sinister; ulterior.

"Soldier, I have to attend a meeting with the World Security Council in an hour. I believe that a target that you happened to have met earlier this week intends to stir up some trouble. You need to take him out; however, you need to do so alone. No strike team, including Miss Walsh who is needed here to mediate with her system," he explained. Not again, the soldier thought in dismay. Separation on this day in particular was going to thaw his plans. But he couldn't let Pierce suspect anything. He stiffly nodded. When his job was done, he would take her and fight his way out. Shoot everyone in sight if he had to. Kennedy was his top priority. There was no choice in the matter. **They were going to get out.** Get it done quickly, he thought, then come back to her. He stalked off wanting to tell her that he would be back, but he could not lose a second.

Pierce watched his almost perfect soldier walk away from him. 'Poor dog', he thought, 'his toy will be gone when he gets back'. He pulled out his mobile phone and smirked. Such a shame, she really was special. The security camera footage from the mission 2 weeks ago showed him that Kennedy Walsh was a lot more than she was leading on. The camera played on a loop, of his beautiful little medium making a 300 pound man fly straight into the wall behind him without even touching him. He heard about people like her which suddenly made him think of a brilliant idea which would result in Miss Walsh never again seeing the light of day, not without giving HYDRA a little taste of what she is really capable of.

Kennedy chewed on her poor fingernails as she stared at the large computer screens nervously. Her mind pleaded for Captain America's success in triangulating the hellicarriers. She looked around and was alerted to the fact that Grumpy was no longer in the room. Where was he? She looked at the screens' clocks which read 40 minutes to go. She decided that it wouldn't hurt to take a walk.

"I'll be back. I have to stretch my legs," she told the officer next to her. He absentmindedly nodded, not caring. Pushing past the rush and heat of the crowd of HYDRA agents in the room, she welcomed the cool empty breeze in the hallway. No sign of him. She headed to the gym which was devoid of people on this "auspicious" occasion. She then made her way to their room which wielded similar results. He wouldn't have left without telling her. What was going on?

"Grumpy wouldn't leave me," she whispered to herself. She had no doubts about him which increased her suspicions. Her pocket buzzed and she pulled it out of her pocket.

"What is it, Tesla?" she asked her A.I.

"Admin…see," he answered, "file downloads complete….important." She opened the first one and read. Most of it was in Russian in which she had only some experience. She only made out some words.

"Found in mountains, 1943", "train", "U.S citizen", "born 1917", "James Barnes (thankfully, they had the English name next to all the gibberish)" and "frozen". A black and white picture revealed a confident, incredibly handsome man in a sergeant's uniform. It made her heart skip a beat; "Grumpy", she whispered in awe. She wasn't used to seeing Grumpy like this, smiling and normal. But it was refreshing to see. Her mind darkened with rage towards HYDRA for taking away that light.

Her eyes widened in alarm as she looked over the information again. 1917? That made him 97 years old! Then she saw the word frozen. She covered her mouth in terror. They froze him since 1943, during World War II. That sounded a lot like Captain America's famous circumstances which made her sick to her stomach when she saw Grumpy and Captain America smiling next to each other in their uniforms, eyes shining with pride as they looked at the camera.

"Grumpy," she whimpered and touched his picture. He was Captain America's friend. He looked so happy. HYDRA did this to him, captured him, tortured him and turned him into something else. For decades, they took pieces of his soul and replaced it with poison, repeatedly; keeping him under ice like sticking food in a freezer. No wonder his mind was almost completely gone, his identity has been stripped from him, his personality worn out, he's been taken apart and put back together again countless times; and for over 70 years! His life has been taken from him without his consent, leaving him with little to no recollection of his past. She felt hot tears run down her cheeks; no one deserved that.

She silently berated herself for not paying much attention to their history when she always ditched field trips to the British museum when she was younger. She was so stupid. Her tears dried and her veins were pumping with rage and crying for blood and revenge. No one was going to get away with hurting someone she cared deeply for. However, that didn't answer where Grumpy was. Then her heart clenched in fear.

"Tesla, give me a feed to the hellicarriers' cameras now!" she ordered. Immediately images of a flying man and another in a star spangled uniform, much like the one in the pictures ran along one of the hellicarrier's runway. No! Pierce sent Grumpy there to kill Rogers. It was not a coincidence. The image solidified her theory as the flying man suddenly dropped out of the sky and the familiar image of a metal arm with a bright red star made a brief appearance. Grumpy was there and the hellicarriers were going to triangulate in 20 minutes. She wasn't going to let anything happen it him.

"Tesla! Does Grumpy have a device on him? We need to contact him," she demanded, her voice rising, almost screeching in panic and adrenaline.

"No device found, admin," Tesla's voice sounded almost defeated. He didn't like his admin feeling bad. Kennedy ran her hands through her hair and pulled painfully.

"Think, you bitch, think!" she screamed at herself closing her eyes. She had an idea but she had to try it despite the unlikeliness of the outcome. It involved having Tesla operate one of the jets in the bay so she can get him herself and ….

The doors swung open and some lab coated men and women filed into her room. Kennedy quickly shoved the mobile into her back pocket without them seeing. The lab coats eyed her carefully, like a specimen.

"What the hell is this?" she demanded. The scientist with the bowtie wordlessly walked up to her, watching her with what looked like an expression of sympathy and apology. Her blood suddenly ran cold and her stomach dropped. She saw herself. It was during the mission two weeks previously. The security guard flew back into the wall, never to move again. HYDRA got their hands on her demonstrating her "problem". Grumpy needed saving now and by the looks of the scientists, they weren't letting her go anytime soon. A month before, she would have let them take her. But things were different now. She had someone who needed her, someone to live for; her friend. However, it was all over now.

"I'm sorry, Miss Walsh," bowtie told her and in a flash she didn't see the needle as it pierced her neck. She swayed slightly until her legs gave out completely. Her vision became cloudy only then to repel her into total and complete darkness: A void.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey guys! Just needed to re-edit and not much has changed.**

Fighting his best friend was the hardest thing Steve Rogers ever had to do in his life. The Bucky that stood before him was an animal, twisted and broken and uncontrollable. However, Steve held no contempt or set no blame on him whatsoever. Every move he made to defend himself was carefully executed so that he didn't end up killing him. He could not and most certainly would not; Steve did not want to surrender to the idea that his best friend, his brother was lost to him forever. But… the look in Bucky's eyes, cold, detached and unfamiliar. The way he relentlessly went after him, stabbing him, shooting him, and all with a frightening accuracy that Steve actually started to believe that the man had it out for him. But he couldn't give up. Steve felt the helicarrier start to drop from the sky; fire, smoke and falling debris consumed his surroundings, increasing his fatigue and dizziness caused by his still bleeding wounds. He heard a gut-wrenching cry of pain and looked up to see his friend pinned down by an enormous steel beam.

The soldier was rarely frightened for his life but in this moment, everything changed. He saw no way out. The beam was crushing him, his shoulder on his human arm was dislocated, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't move. The strength in his metal arm wasn't enough to help him in this moment. He lay there, seeing that no one was coming to save him. What struck him the most was failure; not of his inability to complete his mission but because he failed her. If he died, she would be alone and unprotected. They needed each other desperately. The only solace he had was that she made his life memorable which was impossible before since he never remembered anything. He relished in the fact that he would remember her, her face, her way of calming him, her provision of companionship and heart in his last moments. He didn't fully understand the concept of death but with his special partner in his thoughts, he thought it…her beautiful. Utterly beautiful, also a new concept that he learned from her. He closed his eyes, briefly wishing that she would find a way out and live.

However, it looked like today was not that day. The soldier looked on in confusion and astonishment as his target strained tremendously as he lifted the beam. The soldier took his chance and wriggled out of the death trap. The two looked at each other, unsure of what to do next.

"You know me," the target told him in frustration. The soldier did not have time for lies.

"No, I don't!" he screamed and swung his metal arm at the man, making him lose his balance for a split second.

"Your name...is James….Buchanan Barnes." While that name indefinitely sparked something in the recesses of his consciousness, the winter soldier would not have it.

"Shut up!" He shouted in resistance, once again taking another violent swing at the man. Another feeling arose within him as he looked at the man; familiarity with the feature of relentlessness, blurred memories of a tiny boy in an alley way not backing down from the threats of a much larger man.

"I'm not going to fight you." The man breathed out in extreme exhaustion, releasing his shield into the watery depths below, "You're my friend." He said with a determined glare, surrendering himself to the soldier. Chaos and confusion ravaged his mind in that moment, and without hesitation he charged at the man and pinned him down.

"You're my mission," he grunted in frustration swinging his metal arm back to release his first blow. He repeated this motion over and over again, every punch landing harder than before. He screamed at the top of his lungs, his words synchronizing with each strike, "YOU'RE MY MISSION". He could not comprehend why he was doing this, why this man seemed familiar, why he caused him so much pain. His anger and confusion flooded through his entire being as only one thought ran through his mind. If he ended the man, maybe the pain would stop, maybe it would not hurt as much. But even so, this man was a key to his past. The soldier paused in his violent attack, his metal arm still posed to strike…

"Then finish it." The man sputtered out through his swollen mouth, "Because I'm with you, till the end of the line…" The soldier froze, staring at the man in abject horror, his heart beating furiously in his chest as tiny but significant fragments of his memory pieced together to form a solid conclusion: this man was a friend, not a hostile. 'He wants to help me', he thought. Tears were pooling in his still wide eyes, his metal fist still frozen in midair slowly lowered as he looked into the man's eyes, and the words ' _I knew him'_ echoed in his mind. The man stared up at him in resignation and acceptance and the soldier was instantly reminded of Kennedy. The look she always wore on her face was similar to his own in that moment, as they both happened to accept him for the damaged machine he was. That made it all the worthwhile. Suddenly, a large piece of debris collapsed from above them and dislodged the two of them. The soldier reflexively grabbed onto a remaining beam as he watched his target … his… past, fall into the river below. He realized that a decision had to be made.

Minutes later, the soldier emerged from the cold water, dragging the man's unconscious body behind him. For several moments he waited in anticipation for the man to show signs of life, releasing a short, almost non-existent breath of relief when he did. Preserving life instead of taking it felt different, but in a good way. Maybe one day the soldier would meet the man again, learn more of his past. Maybe one day he would regain what was left. However, as the soldier surveyed the damage around him, he realized that he failed his mission and so did his partner. The helicarriers did not carry out their intended purpose which meant that she was in trouble. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder from its dislocation and his attempt at placing it back, the soldier bolted from the river's bank. It was time to execute his own mission, get Kennedy and disappear.

The room blurred and spun in that order. Colours of grey and white mixed and merged as Kennedy desperately tried to discern what was happening to her. She was aware that she was dangerously sedated and the doctors started to plunge needle and connective tubes into her skin. She saw her blood slowly flow into plastic bags (3 so far). They were draining her; to use her blood to experiment on. She vaguely heard them refer to launching new programs which aimed at replicating her ability with her cells.

"It's remarkable! The cells are in a constant state of flux. It's like they have a life of their own. Her blood is a perfect candidate. Normally, blood doesn't last more than 42 days when stored. But her own surely will, looking at the amount of energy it possesses. I don't think that she needs to be alive at all to complete our trials," Bowtie said enthusiastically.

"Well, Pierce's plan is working out just as he said it would. She dies, the soldier becomes perfect and we have a new weapon. Win-win," the woman beside him said looking into the microscope. What did she mean that Grumpy would become perfect? She groaned weakly and she felt the sensation slowly leave her legs. The scientists took no notice of her suffering. She thought of Grumpy, his almost smiles, his protection, his devotion. They were the kindest and best moments of her life and she had to die hoping that he survived the helicarrier's chaos. She hoped that he would live and leave these wretched people, so that he could graduate from Grumpy to Happy, she thought fondly.

A nauseous feeling crept up from the pit of her stomach and she began to lose feeling in her fingers. She lost and regained consciousness continuously, making her weaker every time. This repeated itself for an agonizing 10 minutes. Suddenly she heard loud banging coming from outside the door, which she was too weak to respond to. Several gunshots and screams rang through the air and the scientists became nervous and fidgety, and then without warning, the door flew off its hinges.

Grumpy stood there, taking in the scene before him. His eyes flickered to Kennedy strapped down to an operating table, her blood flowing into bags, and scientists who flew out of their seats, cowered in the corner. The solution was simple. Kill them all. One stupid brave scientist ripped the tube from Kennedy's arm and tried to inject something in her. The soldier moved fast, growling like an untamed beast and in a blinding rage just as he did when the strike team members tried to harm her. He wanted to see their blood, their mangled bodies. They were going to hurt her. There was no choice. No one hurts her and no one ever will. With his metal arm he effortlessly strangled the man with the bowtie and with his other hand, shoved it into his stomach. He heard screams coming from the other lab coats. Their turn would come later. The soldier ripped out the contents of bowtie's stomach, blood spraying left, right and center and threw his body to the floor. He took out his gun and executed them, bullets littering the bodies of other three persons.

He didn't think he would ever stop his rampage until he heard Kennedy's weak moaning. He wiped the blood on his combative clothes and held Kennedy's face in his hands gently. She looked incredibly pale and her eyes drifted in and out of focus.

"Kennedy," he called to her firmly in order to establish some form of communication.

"Grumpy," she whispered, sounding so distant and faded. Fear consumed every fiber of his being. Her vibrancy and life was slowly dwindling. He couldn't lose her; she needed to stay with him. She was his mission and she had to be here with him, no arguments. Anything less was not an option; he would not fail her. He kneeled on the floor in the corner, ignoring the bloody bodies and pulled out a duffle bag. The soldier was about to carefully scoop her up into his arms.

"Blood….take the…blood," she managed to get out. He immediately took the packs of blood and medical equipment he saw on the table. He had to give her a blood administration once they were safe. Packing the bags carefully in the duffle bag, he placed it partially on his back and lifted her in his arms. His urgency increased as she could barely wrap her arms around him.

"Stay with me," he told her firmly. You will be safe; he thought and repeated to himself. He quickly strode out of the building, and chose a random vehicle. He gently placed Kennedy in the passenger seat and buckled her up, throwing the duffle in the back. He got in the driver's seat and crushed the tracking device in his metal hand. A few more seconds of hotwiring, and they sped off.

"Stay with me," he repeated to her, his hand on hers not taking his eyes off the road.

She continued to drift, her breathing uneven and wavering. She felt herself moving every few minutes from occasional bumps or turns. Was she in a car? Everything was still blurry and her nausea returned, making her groan lightly.

The soldier's head snapped at the sound of Kennedy's weak attempts to wake up fully. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, he reached over with his other to touch her shoulder. It was just a small but significant sign to show that she was alive and he was here.

"Tesla…give Grumpy…administrative access," she managed to get out softly to command her A.I. The soldier's mouth opened slightly in confusion.

"Confirmed," Tesla responded. Somehow Tesla managed to worm his way into any piece of technology including cars.

"Why?" the soldier asked her.

"In case…something happens…" she trailed off and her head rolled to the side, going unconscious again. The soldier gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white and the metal hand making the contraption creak under his strength. That wasn't going to happen.

"Admin…needs hospital," Tesla spoke to him for the first time since he was created. The soldier didn't like or know how to speak to a robot, or something that was not alive. The computer's voice was close to something of human concern. Was that a sign of caring? Kennedy trusted Tesla, which meant he had to try and trust him.

"HYDRA is all over the country. We would be discovered," the soldier grunted in irritation. He would kill every agent in sight if they came anywhere near her. His mind was still trying to wrap why they would want her dead. She was one of the most important assets that HYDRA ever procured. His grip tightened, thinking about her being drained of blood which alerted to him that a blood administration needed to be done quickly.

"Where can we go? It needs to be discreet," he barked at the A.I.

"Raymond Motel…3 miles ahead," Tesla replied, "funds…paid for 2 nights...rooms 46…enter through the back." The soldier admitted to himself that Kennedy's creation was increasingly impressive and efficient. Tesla ensured no interaction with or suspicion from the front desk. A half lit neon sign came into view and the soldier pulled over.

"Wouldn't someone suspect?" he asked.

"The manager…plays 'Galaga'…distracted." The soldier was dumbfounded but didn't question it. A half lit neon sign came into view and the soldier pulled over.

"Take…care of…admin." The soldier was slightly touched. Was this machine capable of emotion at all? Swinging the bag onto his back, he went around to the passenger side, unbuckled her and lifted her into his arms, her head rolling onto his shoulder.

The soldier hoped Tesla took care of everything so that the manager would not be so curious. Seeing room 46, the soldier balanced Kennedy in his arms and silently twisted the handle with his metal hand. They quickly slipped inside and he gently placed her on the king-size bed. After closing all the curtains and finding an alternative way to lock the door, he got to work. He took out the tangling set of tubes and blood bags. He didn't like the idea of sticking needles in her but he had to. He had seen this done before; thankfully HYDRA let him keep memories of basic medical procedures in case of a mission gone wrong. He dug around in the bag for saline and alcohol and found them at the bottom of the duffle bag along with other medical equipment he took from the facility. Making sure everything was sanitary with the alcohol; he finally swabbed her arm and stuck in the needle, connecting the saline and blood to the tubes. He made a makeshift pole for the IV which the room's coat hanger. Now he had to wait. He sat on the edge of the bed, taking in her vulnerable figure, feeling utter distress.

"Stay with me," he whispered once again, taking out his gun and stared at the door like he did weeks before.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I love you guys! Your reviews are brilliant and I'm very grateful :) Before I re-edited the last chapter, I would like to say again that I will not be going along the lines of the upcoming Civil War movie, but rather my own interpretation and spin on the MCU and comic book origins and stuff. Enjoy!**

Kennedy was overwhelmed by a stale and musty stench as her senses slowly returned to her. Her mouth felt like sawdust, her lips were chapped, and she ached for hydration of any kind. Although she lay comfortably on what felt like a cushioned surface, her head still throbbed in immense pain, causing her to moan in discomfort. She tried to talk, but all that came out was a guttural and unattractive sound.

The soldier immediately sprang up from his position on the ground beside her bed to lean over her. He cupped her cheek, hoping that his touch would wake her. He stood there tortured, motionless, and silently begging her to finally wake up. For over four, _excruciating_ hours, he was plagued by the thought that she was not coming back. What if he did the administration wrong? What if she was now in a coma? What if he would never again see her eyes, brilliant and overflowing with emotions that only he could read…What if he never again saw her smile at him? He was consumed by his agony, completely and utterly distressed, so much that he could not even focus on one sole thought. Not even Kennedy's distraction techniques could pull him out of his ordeal. He tried to clean his guns, only relishing in the few minutes of peace in which he visualized killing every HYDRA agent that he could find; granting them the slow, merciless demise that they deserved.

When she stirred, his heart leaped inside his chest, pulling him from his loud and violent thoughts. His eyes roamed across her face, his thumb making soft movements on her cheek. He sat there, feeling the pressure slowly melt off himself as she finally opened her eyes.

With all her might, she willed herself to keep her eyes open. The room was dimly lit, not causing her to strain her eyes and increase her headache. She immediately beheld a very concerned and equally relieved Grumpy hovering over her eagerly. Upon seeing him, her vision became blurry and she mentally berated herself for almost crying with joy. Her hand weakly reached up to touch his cheek.

"Grumpy," she said breathily, smiling at her friend. Seeing her friend alive and well was all that mattered. The soldier gave a fraction of a smile, still worrying about her fragile state.

"Are you alright? What happened?" she asked him, noticing some of the blood on his combat clothes which he had yet to change out of. She honestly didn't remember much after being knocked out.

The soldier remained silent, not wanting to elaborate further on his violent activities when he found her in their room on the verge of death. While he deemed it necessary to kill them for bringing harm to Kennedy, the fear of her rejection or apprehension towards him hung like a dark, suffocating cloud over him. He couldn't bring himself to tell her any of those details as shame filled his heart. He didn't mean to lose control with her in the room, but he couldn't stop himself. In his chaotic breakdown, everyone was a threat to her. But now…he questioned if he was one such threat as well.

"They tried to hurt you. They won't do it again. Ever," he reassured her ambiguously. He had to give her credit for her impressive observation skills as she immediately picked up on his dodgy response. She knew what happened; she was not angry or disappointed which was exactly what he was thinking.

"You killed them," she stated evenly. Kennedy didn't want Grumpy to think that she was scared. She wasn't because every fibre of her being knew that he would never hurt her. She trusted him with her life, literally. As Grumpy's eyes closed in shame, she shook her head and touched his arm.

"Grumpy, look at me," she told him sternly, reiterating his former commands when he used to calm her down. He opened his eyes and his deep pools of blue watched her uncertainly. She weakly used her elbows to prop herself up and would have fallen back onto the bed were it not for Grumpy's assistance. He helped her up, putting his arms around her to bring herself into a sitting position. She moaned as the room spun and she slumped against him. The soldier had a good grip on her, making sure that she wouldn't fall. She chuckled at her poor attempts to control her body.

"See this Grumpy? You give me no reason to be afraid of you. I admit that I'm not entirely fond of killing. You know that. But you did what you had to in order to protect me. You did what you believed to be right. If those people were still alive, they would have hunted us down to the ends of the earth. You didn't have much a choice. People like HYDRA do not understand mercy. They would have used it against us. Okay? I know you would never kill anyone for kicks," Her words struck him. He knew he did not like to kill; there had been many occasions where he would be haunted by the faces of his countless victims.

"Stop finding excuses to leave. You aren't getting rid of me that easily," she told him with a hint of amusement, obligatorily sticking out her pinky finger. He sighed and nodded in agreement, wrapping his around hers. Her gaze turned to the bag right beside the bed and she slightly bent down to rummage through its contents. When she noted the clothes and other essentials, it clicked.

"You planned this," she stated relatively astonished. The soldier took in her uncertain expression and a sharp sting of guilt surged through him. He wanted to tell her but…

"It was better for you to know nothing. It was to keep you safe," he explained. Sure, she could be upset with him as long as she wanted, but she would still be alive and well.

"We have that in common I suppose," she muttered snaking a hand through her hair. His brow furrowed in confusion. What did she mean by that?

"PROJECT INSIGHT's failure wasn't due to just Captain America and his team. It was also because I anonymously sent a message to them. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I did so for the same reason as you. I had no idea they were going to send you there. I couldn't live with myself if you…" she rambled and suddenly trailed off, looking at her hands.

The soldier didn't know what to say. Should he be mad? Should he be happy? Conflicting emotions, associated with pride, relief and anxiety clouded his heart. He was pleased that she found a way to stop their oppressors, indirectly fueling his plans to escape. However, he couldn't help but feel a bit left out of her orchestration. Was it that she didn't trust him? Was she afraid that he would tell?

"You thought that I was going to expose you?" he had to ask, his pounding heart fearing her answer. She contemplated for a few seconds.

"I admit, in the beginning I did. From experience, it takes quite a lot in me to trust someone. But later on I knew I could, however there was still the risk of you getting punished. I saw what they did to you. The day came by too fast and I was getting paranoid of someone listening. I guess great minds think alike. We did what we had to, to keep each other safe." He visibly relaxed which didn't last long due to what she had to say next.

"They found out about me, what I can do," she told him in a shaky voice, "A doctor showed me the footage of me killing the security guard. That's why they tried to drain me. They wanted to test my blood."

The soldier's rage emerged once again, his metal hand tightly gripping the sideboard of the bed. Unfortunately made of wood, it snapped expectantly. Kennedy didn't make attempt to stop him as she felt a similar rage as well.

The two launched into detailed explanations of their experiences. She told him about his file that she found, giving him her mobile which he took gratefully. He couldn't read through it now; not while she was here. He would have become unstable and possibly hurt her.

"The man… He tried to tell me who I was. But I kept hitting him….over and over again. He fell into the river...and, I saved him." She mulled over this new information and she couldn't help the tiny smile from appearing on her face. She was filled with pride knowing that Grumpy followed his heart.

"HYDRA is still out there," she said.

"We need more weapons if they come for us," he replied.

"Don't worry. Tesla will protect us." Her confidence in her A.I didn't help ease his mind.

"What if…what if we go to Steve Rogers for help?" Kennedy hesitantly suggested. "He tried to help you. Maybe going to him wouldn't be so bad. Think about the Avengers on our side. They could help us bring HYDRA down." Grumpy started to panic; a million reasons for rejecting her proposal formulating in his thoughts. He couldn't possibly waltz up to the man he supposedly spent the majority of his life knowing.

"No, we can't. We can't trust them," he shook his head defiantly.

"We can't trust them? Or you can't?" That statement made him meet her knowing and speculating eyes. He knew that she was right, but he wasn't ready to admit it.

"It's a no. End of discussion." He left it there and she sighed in resignation. She would have to work on him later.

"So what do we do now?" she asked him.

"You need to recover. Then we keep our head down, keep moving." She nodded and swung her legs over the edge of the bed so she could stand. Without a moment's hesitation, the soldier was at her side, gently holding her by the waist as she shakily stood on her feet. Her gaze remained downward, as she concentrated on where she was stepping, while her hands gripped Grumpy's forearms for good measure. Feeling a bit more solid on her feet, she nodded at him to signal that she was fine. His hands reluctantly fell to his side, although he stayed rooted to his spot beside her. Kennedy shifted to face Grumpy, and smiled up at him.

"Thank you for saving me, Grumpy. I would have been dead if it weren't for you," she whispered gratefully.

"Not an option," he replied with conviction.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I'm so happy right now guys! Your feedback is extremely helpful and inspiring :) I'm getting my exam results tomorrow so wish me luck! BTW I had some thoughts about who can be Kennedy and all pointed to Cara Delevigne since she has that mischievous look about her. Lastly, those Bucky Civil War pics had me like :'D Anyway, ENJOY!**

Steve Rogers stood at Nick Fury's "grave" in silent contemplation, processing everything that had happened in these past weeks. He didn't know what to think anymore. His best friend was alive and out there; a super soldier, made a ruthless assassin with no memory of his past life. SHIELD was no longer the esteemed protective agency the world thought it was, having fallen with its parasitic counterpart HYDRA. He knew nothing anymore. However, there were more fish to fry; there were more questions that needed answering. Fury and Hill mentioned that this girl, Kennedy Walsh helped them. Steve admitted that while he had his reservations about this mole inside HYDRA, he promised himself that he would thank her if their paths ever crossed. She saved millions of lives and indirectly helped him get to Bucky. Who else could have saved him from the Potomac? The Bucky he knew was still in there. He wasn't going to give up on his brother. Whatever it took, he was going to bring his fallen family home.

As Fury departed for his new life hiding in Europe, Natasha sashayed up to him with a manila folder and a tablet in her hands.

"You should be honoured. That's as close as he gets to saying thank you," Natasha said sarcastically with a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Not going with him?" Steve asked her.

"No."

"Not staying here."

"I blew all my covers. I gotta go figure out a new one."

"That might take a while."

"I'm counting on it. That thing you asked for; called in a few favours from Kiev." She said, handing him the folder on his best friend, clearly saving the tablet's information for last. Steve gave her a grateful look, eyeing the real story of Bucky sitting in his hands.

"I also got some recent intel for you that might be useful. Footage was found of The Winter Soldier in various locations this week when HYDRA attacked throughout the city. The one thing they had in common was…" she trailed off and showed Steve the tablet's high resolution images of the distinguishable metal-armed assassin and…a small figure with white hair, running hand in hand. Steve's mouth opened in disbelief.

"Isn't that…" he started.

"The Walsh girl. It looks like they were working together. A hostage maybe? Who knows." Steve couldn't understand how they were connected; why? How? The first assumption that came to mind was that she _**was**_ a hostage. However, he couldn't help but notice the two's body language. Bucky's grip on her was not forceful; it was urgent and protective, not holding her aggressively at the wrist but rather palm to palm and intimate. Bucky's body, though running away was half turned to her, constant awareness of her, assuring that she was not in harm's way. Her posture was also moving more towards him, almost as if for reassurance and companionship.

"No. It's not that. He's protecting her," Steve replied. He felt a glimmer of hope that the old Bucky was still alive; protective, caring, compassionate. All those traits were evident in these images. There was still hope, even when it was supposedly futile. Steve was going to find him. He was going to bring Bucky home. As Natasha left, Sam looked over Steve's shoulder, noticing the file in his hands.

"You're going after him," he stated.

"You don't have to come with me," Steve replied. Sam did so much for him; He deserved some peace, he thought.

"I know. Where do we start?"

"We need to find the connection between the two. If we find her, we find him."

There was a convenient store a few metres away from their room, allowing the soldier to acquire their necessities within a matter of 60 seconds. His movement outside of their room was to take this specific amount of time so he wouldn't leave Kennedy alone for long. The anxiety of being discovered or HYDRA taking her from him weighed down on him like a 10 ton truck on his shoulders.

The soldier silently scanned the room for his companion as he entered and his eyes widened when he saw her exposed skin. He immediately averted his gaze and turned around folding his arms, waiting for her to finish. He heard her chuckle from behind him and he felt his face become hot. His reaction truly bothered him; he had never seen her in that way and he couldn't halt the bombardment of images of her exposed state in his mind which made him immensely frustrated with himself. He had no right to think those things of her.

Kennedy was innocently changing her blood stained shirt when Grumpy was outside, not anticipating his quick return. As he came in, she did not bother covering herself up. She thought nothing of being stripped of only a shirt; to her, a bra was no different than a bathing suit top. She found herself surprised that a stoic soldier/assassin would become awkward after seeing some skin. She shrugged on her shirt smiling and consequently blushing at his humility. Any guy these days would have loved to sneak a peek but Grumpy always respected her privacy during their time together. He was not the brute HYDRA made him out to be; he was a gentleman. It must have been a 1940s thing.

"Sorry about that Grumpy. I just wanted to change my bloody shirt. You can turn around now," she told him. He faced her but still lowered his eyes which made her laugh.

"I'm decent now. No need for that," she said taking a seat on the bed and folding her legs in her usual meditative position. He gave her the plastic bag and she thanked him for the bottle of water, knowing that she had to keep herself hydrated.

"Oh! Did you go through the files yet?" she asked out of the blue, remembering that she gave him her mobile. However, Grumpy suddenly found his hands exceedingly fascinating. Sensing conflict within him, she patted the spot next to her on the bed. Hesitantly, he sank down next to her.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly. Taking a few moments to gather the shattered remnants of his mind, he sighed.

"I'm afraid," he admitted.

"Of what?" Kennedy asked while trying to catch his gaze.

"Knowing the truth…of what I was before. My mind is destroyed. I'm afraid it might make me hurt you."

She instantly shook her head, disagreeing, "That makes no sense, Grumpy. You're fretting over nothing."

"Knowing the truth will only bring pain." He said, clenching his metal fist. Kennedy noticed this, her heart sinking at Grumpy's never-ending conflict. She slowly reached over to rest her hand over his, lacing her fingers with his. The soldier felt grateful for her comfort, looking down to see metal and skin intertwined with one another.

"If you don't want to look at it, it's your choice. I just want you to know that you're stuck with me. I'm not going anywhere." His eyes met hers and he was deeply moved by the sincerity of her words. Despite HYDRA's role in ruining their lives, he had to give them credit for letting him meet her in the first place. With her, someone to protect, he was slowly experiencing what it was like to feel human again. He gently squeezed her hand in thanks and looked down at the mobile in his grasp. He had to do this.

"Stay with me?" he whispered, unlatching his hand from hers to hold out his pinky finger. She smiled brightly at him.

"You got it," she replied hooking her pinky around his.

While Kennedy sat with him silently, playing with the loose threads on the cover, he read about his past. His damaged mind tried its best to wrap around the impossible notion that he was born in 1917 which made him 98 years old. Most of the file was in Russian which he read without difficulty. His heart pounded loudly as he scanned through the torturous procedures that he underwent and his metal arm, the destructive instrument that Dr. Zola cursed him with was aching to kill something. The man took everything from him. He had a family, a mother and younger sister who were long gone by now; he was a real person before.

Kennedy hated seeing him struggle like this but there was nothing she could do. This was his own battle and he wanted her to stay a considerable distance away from him in case he lashed out. But she definitely wasn't leaving him alone in his time of need.

The soldier stilled when he saw a picture of himself, however, he did not recognise the smiling man in the black and white photograph. The man was too happy, like he had nothing to worry about which instantly stirred up envy in his heart. He wished that he was that man again, but he couldn't be, even if he wanted to. That man died when he fell off the train and had a metal arm permanently attached to his body. As he continued to read, his eyes roamed over his real name: JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES.

"My name is James," he rasped to himself. Kennedy picked up the tension and uncertainty in his voice. To him, this name sounded strange; he did not know what to think. The part of his mind that was still programmed to be the Winter Soldier suppressed the underlying sense of hope that he could fully be a man again. He said it over and over again in his mind, vaguely recalling a childish voice calling his name repeatedly to get his attention.

"It's a nice name," Kennedy replied, smiling sadly. "Do you want to be called that now?" Did he? He said the name over and over again in his head. It was alien; odd. It didn't sound like him. He put down the mobile on the bed and turned to face her.

"I like the name you've given me better," he shrugged truthfully.


	15. Chapter 15

Soon after, Kennedy and the soldier proceeded to embark on decrypting HYDRA's remaining files, only to find out that their most top secret records and other documents were being held in an abandoned World War II training facility on hardcopies. The other computer based files were already leaked on the internet few days prior. Sitting on the hood of the vehicle they commandeered, Kennedy waited for Tesla to upload the schematics of the base.

"Base…mostly destroyed…in drone strike…1 week ago," Tesla told her. She sighed and put on her beanie hat to attempt to disguise her alarming shade of white hair; last minute and pathetic but it would have had to do.

"Is there anything left?" she asked with a hint of hope.

"The probability…of recovering information…is one in ten," he replied. Kennedy thoughtfully hummed; it was worth a look she supposed. Grumpy met her at the car, loading their duffle bag in the trunk and quickly stuffed a .45 in the back of his jeans which was **very** attractive. He also wore a greenish brown jacket and a cap; totally normal but possessed the ability to make her blush and stare for a long minute. She smiled to herself and continued to look over the schematics as well as connecting Tesla to the GPS in the car.

The soldier found Kennedy sitting on the hood of the SUV planning their route. She had her legs crossed in their usual meditative manner; a norm for her. He fondly remembered their short but better times together in their room where she would sit like that. He thought back to how she would teach him various things about her work, simple hacking mechanisms (at least for her) and also stories about her home in London. Nothing about their time together was dull and he deemed it the first time he ever felt warm in his life. Each other's company, their tiny space was…home or at least how he made sense of the word. He didn't see himself without her around; she was always there. They were safe, but now they were running, constantly on their toes, waiting for threats.

He stood in front of her and she looked up at him, showing him the device in her hand.

"Tesla found the base. It was hit by a drone last week so there's a lot of wreckage but it's worth a look," she shrugged. It was the sole lead they had at the moment. He did not know what their goal or mission was now that HYDRA lay at the bottom of the Potomac River but finding out more about the shady organization seemed like a good place to start. They couldn't run forever after all. He nodded and his attention went to her eyes. She had dark circles and she appeared more sluggish than usual. He was immediately alert.

"What's wrong? You look sick," he stated worriedly stepping closer to her. She shook her head.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it," she replied trying to convince him. 'Was it the blood transfusion? Did I do it correctly? Was this a deadly side effect?' he thought urgently.

"Don't lie to me," he told her sternly. She huffed tiredly.

"I haven't been sleeping. Every time I close my eyes I see what those bastards tried to do to me. It's just easier to keep busy, that's all." His heart softened; he experienced the same thing and he understood better than anyone. He wished with all his being that he could help, but he could not destroy a dream, he could not physically eliminate a nightmare to keep her safe and at peace. He hated feeling helpless.

"The base is two hours away. You can sleep in the car. I'm right here. Just two hours," he told her sincerely. Kennedy gave him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes and nodded. He took her by the waist and helped her down from the hood of the car. She looked up at him thoughtfully and chuckled gently. He watched in her slight confusion.

"What?" he asked breathily, her proximity making his heart pound harder than usual.

"Nothing. You're just cute, that's all," she patted his cheek and got into the passenger's seat. Mumbling incoherently and hiding the heat rising to his cheeks, he silently started the car and they left.

Kennedy fell asleep within ten minutes, her head lying on the arm rest between them. The soldier glanced over at her every now and again and he stretched over to place the blanket that she stole from the motel, onto her shoulders. She was exhausted; they both were. They needed a new plan after this.

"Admin…alright?" Tesla asked the soldier, his robotic tone sounding surprisingly worried. The soldier still had to get accustomed to talking to something that was not there.

"She hasn't been sleeping. After the base, we need to relocate," he stated softly not wanting to wake her.

"Calculating possible safe zones," Tesla remained silent for a while and a question plagued the soldier. While he was not fond of talking to an inanimate object, he had to ask.

"Do you feel?" he asked the A.I.

"I…don't understand…the question." His answer frustrated him.

"You constantly ask about her. It means you…care."

"Admin…created me. Human emotion is…complex. However, I only want Admin…to be…safe and well." The soldier nodded, dropping the subject. That was all he needed to know; it reassured him that Tesla wasn't likely to turn on them anytime soon.

"Do **you** …feel?" Tesla asked him out of the blue. The soldier did not answer immediately but rather glanced at the sleeping girl in the passenger seat.

"Yes."

Kennedy groaned at the sensation of being woken up. It was a gentle shaking of her shoulder and a soft voice coaxing her out of deep sleep. She muttered and slowly opened her eyes to find that it was getting dark. Grumpy's eyes were intently on her, his hand still on her shoulder.

"We're here," he told her. She looked through the windscreen to see debris and ruins of buildings in a fenced compound. Glass, metal and dust littered the brown grass and blew in the wind as a toxic and harmful fume. A lone sign hung limply on the fence: WHEATON, NEW JERSEY; ARMY BASE. It flapped pathetically in the night's breeze, rusty and forgotten from a time of war and memories.

They navigated through the debris, climbing over the sharp and jagged grey concrete. The soldier held Kennedy's hand throughout, making sure that she wouldn't slip and injure herself. She coughed every now and again due to the thick blanket of dust and particles that enveloped them. Everything was dark and an entrance was hard to come by were it not for Tesla providing LED lighting on the mobile which was 10 times brighter than ordinary apps.

"There!" Kennedy whispered fiercely, pointing to a small opening that was partially blocked by large fragments of a wall. The soldier let go of her hand.

"Stay here. I'm going to move it first," he told her and pulled out one of his t-shirts that he rolled up and stuffed into his jacket. He unraveled it and placed it on Kennedy's nose and mouth, tying it at the back of her head securely.

"What about you?" she asked warily.

"I'll be fine." She gave him her mobile and he gingerly made his way over to the potential doorway. The concrete wall lay in huge segments, blocking the path. He saw that the big piece which was the size of a car that was going to be a problem. His metal hand was positioned at the bottom and his human one at the top. He tried to lift it, groaning. It was too heavy; the concrete was also reinforced with metallic beams. Kennedy watched with apprehension as Grumpy could not lift it on his own. She wanted to help but hesitated; should she use it? She wasn't in full control but she had to try one day. She breathed as best as she could under the cloth, in and out, focusing on the object floating. It wasn't a far distance, just enough to displace it. She blocked out the chaotic setting, the toxic air and closed her eyes. 'Do not hurt Grumpy. Help him,' she thought.

The soldier was irritated at being bested by a wall. He tried again and surprisingly found it manageable which was strange. He looked back at Kennedy and saw her eyes were closed in concentration. Quickly realizing her input, he threw it out of the way. The loud crunching noise made Kennedy snap out of her slight surge of power and found Grumpy staring at her with…pride? She shook it off as her imagination and the dust confusing her and shrugged sheepishly.

"Practice makes perfect, right?" she called. A tiny smile formed on his face. She climbed over the debris, balancing herself with her arms out. The soldier held his hands out for her to take to help her down. She smiled at him gratefully underneath her makeshift mask and hopped down in front of the doorway.

"Let's do this," she huffed. He took out his .45 from the back of his pants and held it in front of him as they entered the darkness. There was no sound, except for their breathing and the crunching of the shoes on the ground. The air was old and smelled of mold and mildew. Tesla's light got brighter, not having to be asked.

"Filing cabinet survived…10 paces away," he said. Kennedy went around Grumpy to open the 1st drawer since he and Tesla scanned their surroundings for potential threats. New and old manila folders were stuffed together in disarray as if in a hurry. Her fingers moved over them fluidly, reading the names to find any that looked familiar or intriguing. Most of the names were dates, like a diary, going back to 1944. She pulled them out and flipped through the numerous pages and found photographs of a subject on an operating table. The metal arm with the red star immediately caught her eye; realizing that all of the disheveled files were about Grumpy.

"Grumpy?" she called and he was by her side within 2 seconds.

"These are about you," she handed him the stacked bundle and he slowly took them from her, trying to keep calm. One file's contents fluttered to the ground but he made no move to retrieve it. She bent down to take it and read its ambiguous title: OPERATION LAZARUS; CLASSIFIED which was no surprising with HYDRA. She stilled as her eyes studied the morbid details of the document. Never before had something ever made her want to throw up everything in her stomach, except for when Grumpy was being wiped. Her hairs stood on end in shock and the already poisonous air was getting worse. She couldn't breathe.

"No. No…"she rasped, tears falling from her eyes in a continuous and flowing motion. The soldier watched her worriedly and held her shoulders so she would face him. She shoved the file at his chest.

"I need some air," she mumbled and retraced her steps to find a spot to calm herself outside.

The soldier stayed rooted in the spot, reading.

"Winter Soldier's obedience and effectiveness has deteriorated over the course of 15 years, despite attempts at cognitive reconstruction. Supreme leader Alexander Pierce proposal: OPERATION LAZARUS:

DETAILS: psychological and emotional experimentation in an attempt to ensure optimal state of HYDRA's top agent.

DOCTOR'S IMPLICATION: The Winter Soldier can be implied to have various levels of compassion towards his targets due to time taken in execution.

PROPOSAL: Total and emotional control can be gained through snuffing out attachments. Based on a male's natural instinct to protect, a perfect candidate for this trial would be a woman. The Winter Soldier, in his 70 years of service to HYDRA has never been in direct contact with a person of the opposite sex which, if successful, can be the key to making him a perfectly controlled soldier if taken away (terminated).

CANDIDATE FOUND: Kennedy Ann Walsh, January 2nd 1994. Also medium for PROJECT INSIGHT.

DOCTOR'S THESIS: Due to the candidate's young age and constant presence in the Winter Soldier's daily happenings, a profound psychological bond will inevitably develop to the point of dependency. Candidate's termination will sever any remaining emotional disturbances. Hence, effectiveness achieved."

The soldier did not breathe or move for a few minutes, his face dangerously blank. His heartbeat thudded loudly in his ears and his fists clenched, his human one drawing blood which dripped forgotten onto the dank floor. He stared at the file, his mind becoming fuzzy. He dropped the folder and screamed in utter and total despair, his arm destroying the first thing in sight. The vibranium weapon of mass destruction ripped through the cabinet like paper and threw it across the room. Loud bangs and cries of agony echoed throughout the destroyed bunker. Their plan was to hurt her, kill her all along. It was never about her and PROJECT INSIGHT, it was about him. He felt utterly dehumanized, degraded, worse than ever before. Both of them were doomed from the day they met. Caring about her would have killed her. His cries made Kennedy wipe her tears furiously and run head on into the bunker's dark hallways. She paused in horror as she saw her soldier lose himself in anger and inconsolable rage. She knew that it was dangerous but he needed her. Quickly, climbing over the rubble, she made her way over to her distraught friend who ripped through the metal effortlessly.

"Grumpy!" she called but he did not take notice of her voice bouncing off of the walls. He punched the metal over and over again.

"I'm going to kill you! You will not take her from me!" he shouted as if at a person. She pieced together that he was hallucinating.

"Grumpy stop it!" She lunged forward not bothering with the immediate danger. The soldier felt a hand on his shoulder and he spun around with a vicious growl, his eyes carnal. Kennedy did not even flinch but rather held his head desperately in her grasp.

"Look at me, Grumpy," she said firmly, her face very close to his. His heaving chest slowed and he breathed tiredly.

"Breathe with me, okay? Like what you did with me when I had a panic attack, remember?" He did remember. His eyes looked at her trying to mimic her breathing.

"Good. You're doing great." He nodded and closed his eyes in shame.

"I'm sorry," he apologized for losing control once again.

"Don't be. You have every right," she answered pushing some hair out of his face. He sighed and did not realise that he was leaning into her hand.

"You should not be here with me. I'll only bring you pain," he stated, clearly being affected by the unfortunate contents of the file.

"Don't you ever say that to me. We've come too far for this and we're alive. That's all that matters."

"But…"

"Grumpy, you make me not want to die for the first time in a long time, okay?" The soldier froze.

"All my life, it's always been me and my work. I didn't have anyone, friends or family. You're the first real person I have in my life that qualifies as such. You showed me what it's like to care about someone, really care. Even though HYDRA planned this shit, I would not trade it for the world. We will find them and bury them in the ground. Got it?"

Her rant ended and all was silent. She was not the type of person to discuss feelings; it was very difficult for her but she had to it for both their sakes. Grumpy stared at her, awestruck at her profound words. He felt the same way but did not know how to put it into words. He felt something escape the corner of his eyes which turned out to be a tear. Kennedy then did something out of the ordinary. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tightly. The soldier sat there, not moving for several minutes, trying to process the soft and tender sensation of her against him. It instantly made him feel better, diverting his thoughts to her and her alone. Something simple as this hug was extraordinary to him, never wanting the closeness to fade. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and pulled her closer, burying his face in her neck, breathing her in. A great calm fell over him and the contents of the file drifted into the back of his mind. He was no longer in the cold of HYDRA's base; he was in the light, the warmth. They sat there for a long time, saying nothing but promising each other that nothing would tear them apart.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hola! Hope you guys like this little smut/break from all the tension. Hopefully, your feels will go haywire :)**

Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson, with blood, sweat and tears, finally managed to find and follow a microscopic lead with regards to a stolen HYDRA vehicle, which was parked in the dismal and badly paved lot of the Raymond Motel just outside of New Jersey.

"At least it's something," Sam commented, but Steve didn't answer. Rather, he determinedly made his way to the hotel's door and marched up to the front desk (or table) which was occupied by a bearded man, seemingly middle-aged, who reeked of bad cologne. The manager played 'Galaga' on his laptop, not bothering to attend to the new arrivals.

"Excuse me?" Steve started off politely to get his attention, however the man didn't even budge. His patience waning, Steve brought his hand down firmly on the desk, causing papers, snow globes and paperweights to shift dramatically. The guy looked up from his engrossing game in annoyance.

"Can I help you?" he asked dryly.

"Sorry to interrupt your hard work," Steve said sarcastically, showing little tolerance for the man's attitude, "but have you seen the people who brought the black car in the lot and left it here a few days ago?"

"Nope."

"Well don't you think that it's suspicious? Isn't there something that you remember?"

"Look, last thing I saw was that car parking up there and getting an automatic payment to the computer. No questions asked. I didn't snoop around so that's all there is."

"Seriously? You weren't curious about a mysterious car showing up out of the blue?"

"Not when there's money involved. Look at this dump. Having guests here is like divine intervention." Steve sighed in frustration and stormed out with Sam hot on his heels but stopped when his friend clearly needed a moment of solitude.

Steve was always an optimistic person, having hope and seeing the best in others. But now, his best friend and the mysteriously brilliant Kennedy Walsh, and any hope of finding them were gone. He should have known that this lead was a long shot. With a master assassin and a hacker on the run, they would probably never find them, forever gone from the face of the Earth. His brother needed him; why was Bucky running when he saved his life but just a few days ago?

 _Meanwhile..._

"Are you sure that you don't want me to drive? You should get some sleep?" Kennedy asked the soldier. They were 20 miles away from the next motel, for which Tesla already paid. Grumpy shook his head adamantly.

"We're almost there," he answered.

"I thought we had an understanding." Their recent revelation put things into a different perspective as a new level of intimacy developed. They no longer withheld things from each other for the betterment of the other; they were honest and on a path together as their own little unit, rather than shouldering burdens. The soldier knew this. To be honest, he was exhausted and hadn't slept in over 12 hours, the thoughts of HYDRA's plan for Kennedy, and furthermore, the entirety of the turmoil of the past week was ridding him of various forms of peace.

"Come on, Grumpy. We always need to be at the ready like you said. Right now, you're at 5%." He sighed; she was right, she frequently was.

"Just 2 hours," he told her and she nodded satisfied. Not taking his eyes off of the road, he snaked his hand around her waist so they could switch seats. Her leg stretched over to find the accelerator and she held her foot down on it at a steady speed, his foot simultaneously sliding off. He pulled her over onto his lap, his heart suddenly pounding at their new proximity. He slid over into the passenger seat with ease while she had her hands on the steering wheel. He resisted the urge to smile, taking in her small form looking at the road ahead. He must have been staring for a long time, as he noticed a smug smile appear on her face.

"Make that 1 hour and 55 minutes," she chuckled. He looked away, embarrassed and decided to close his eyes while Kennedy stared ahead, the smirk remaining.

The road and its darkness continued on endlessly as she drove. Things were silent except for the sound of the engine of the old rusty truck and the constant whistling of the breeze coming from the open window in the back. Remarkably, Kennedy was not fatigued due to oversleeping, courtesy of Grumpy. Speaking of her soldier, he slept peacefully in the passenger's seat, his arms crossed, head titled back and his mouth slightly open. Adorable, she thought. To see him do something completely mundane made her smile. Her attention then strayed to the top of the windshield, where she saw a spec of yellow light. She looked up carefully and smiled brightly. Was that Jupiter? Or Venus? An idea occurred to her as she looked out her window for any clearings or empty fields.

"Tes, are there any open spaces nearby?" She whispered.

"2 miles ahead, then turn right," he mimicked her soft tone so they wouldn't wake the soldier. Kennedy drove for approximately ten more minutes, before an overgrown field appeared. She turned onto the grass, the uneven terrain causing Grumpy to stir and sit up in alert.

"What's wrong?" He asked her urgently.

"Absolutely nothing," she said in a sing-song voice, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Kennedy stopped in the middle of the field and killed the engine, leaving them enveloped in the stillness of the night and the sound of crickets.

The soldier looked around in confusion and watched silently as Kennedy unbuckled her seatbelt, rolled down the window and climbed out onto the roof of the truck. The soldier got out of the passenger's seat and saw his partner standing and watching the salt and pepper sky in awe. Out of her strange habits that he became used to, he never saw one like this. Kennedy laughed in delight and gripped her hair tightly.

"This is incredible. You can see everything! What are the odds that the Earth is positioned right in the path of the Milky Way where we just happened to drive? I'm not a firm believer in fate but that's got to be it! It's wicked!" She laughed in utter happiness, "I would give anything to be up there." The last part she told herself quietly but he heard it. It made him sad. Of course, she would want that rather than this; he remembered learning of her passion for space. He didn't understand its significance, but since it was to her, he wanted to learn more about it. Sensing his dampened mood, she smiled at him.

"I'm good down here for now, though," she told him and he felt his heart soar in response. She gestured for him to come up with her and she lay down on her back, leaving some space for him. Hesitantly, he jumped into the tray of the truck and effortlessly stepped onto the roof. He lay down beside her and gazed into the dotted blue black darkness hovering above them and he understood her enthusiasm. Being locked up for most of his life, he never saw anything like it. It was strange and distant, yet close and mesmerizing.

"Can you imagine a place where there are people like us? On a planet like ours in another galaxy?" She asked no one in particular.

"Do you?" He finally spoke up, turning his head to look at her.

"All the time. When I was in training for a few months, I was working with this man named Doctor Mitchell for some time and I helped him to design new probes that could travel to distant stars and galaxies within a matter of a few years. The project was shut down when I went to Pentonville. For now, I just admire space from afar," she explained with heavy irony.

"Tell me more."

"About space?"

"Yes."

"Alright. What would you like to know first?"

"That star over there."

"Oh. That's not a star. It's a planet." She pulled out a clear piece of plastic from her pocket and switched it on.

"I was bored and made this one day. It's a star map. I used one of the apps on my mobile and synced it. It uses your position and finds the stars right by where you are." The device glowed in his hand. She took his hand in hers and pointed it to the sky, to the planet the soldier wanted to know about. The screen loaded and the word: VENUS appeared.

"That's one of the closest planets to the Sun." The soldier stared at the yellow spec in contemplation. It was so far away but it shone brilliantly, like it was beckoning him to find it. He further relaxed and placed his arm behind his head. He moved the star map over to the left to the next bright spec and it came up as MARS.

"What about this one?" He asked.

"That one is pretty special. NASA is launching a manned mission in a few years." Another planet was astonishing. His curiosity was sweet, Kennedy thought. Not known to him, she thought of this idea as their exercise to simmer down from the events of the past week. She silently and discreetly observed his body language and mannerisms, none of them indicating tension and worry from before; Grumpy needed to be taken care of too.

They stayed like that for a long time, not saying much but just enjoying each other's company. He thought of the star map and held it out for her to take.

"Nope. It's yours," she said, her eyes closed. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"But you made this..." he trailed off.

"Actually I made it for you. Thought the coin tricks were getting old so here's something new. It's yours. No give backs." Such a small gesture meant the world to the soldier. She made it for him to feel better, to keep him calm and on track; a definite sign of caring. Her eyes were still closed and he could not keep his eyes off of her. A slight smile played at her mouth and she breathed deeply. Her hair was a mess on top of her head and she didn't seem to notice or care. She was carefree and sort of...glowing, at peace for the first time in months. The soldier continued to observe her and determined once again that she was in fact...beautiful to him. Very beautiful.

He looked at the star map in his hand and clutched it firmly as if safeguarding the most precious thing in his world, despite the fact that it was lying right next to him.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hiya peeps! This chapter is a tad bit short but very essential to the plot :) enjoy!**

In a nicer, more hygienic motel room, Kennedy lounged on the bed, typing away on her mobile with determination. A week had passed, turning out to be a series of revelations; in that, she decided to find out more about herself and her ability. While travelling with Grumpy, she found it manifesting itself in little instances, like when reaching for an object on a table or finding things floating around her when she was in deep thought. This was not a common occurrence and she had become anxious to the fact that it was happening now all of a sudden, which was not a good sign. But Grumpy did his best to help by just being there with her, calming her down, willing her to relax when she was wearing herself out with worry.

The soldier came out of the bathroom after washing his face and sighed when he saw Kennedy at it again. She was lying on her side, typing furiously on the phone, with a pained and frustrated expression etched onto her face. It was clear to see that she was getting nowhere further in her research. She groaned loudly and flung the device onto the floor and screamed into the pillow, covering herself entirely with the quilt. Sighing to himself, the soldier picked up the ill-fated object, and moved to sit on the bed next to her. He could hear her heavy, uneven breathing from under the sheet, and reached out his metal arm to rest on her waist. He sat there saying nothing; just moving his hand back and forth over her side to comfort her. Kennedy moved the cover down to show just her face which was flushed and agitated.

"I'm getting absolutely nowhere. This is rubbish!" she grumbled.

"There has to be something. Don't give up. You're the smartest person I know," he encouraged. She held back a smile for his last remark.

"But what if there's nothing, what if I can't be helped, what if..."

"What?"

"What if I hurt you?" She whispered, unable to mask the fear in her voice.

The soldier gazed at her with sympathy in his blue eyes. "You won't. We will find a way."

Kennedy stared at him for a few moments and then sank back into her pillow, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Get some sleep. We leave at dawn." She nodded and crawled back under the covers, pulling it over her head.

"Wake me up when it's my turn to keep watch," she mumbled. The soldier nodded and took his place; sitting up in the bed against the headboard beside her while she slept next to him in a little heap under the sheets. He pulled out his gun and watched both the window and door, always at the ready to protect his mission.

The night went on with no disturbances, the occasionally loud drunken man parading outside of their door and down the hall. Kennedy slept soundly and the soldier glanced at her every time she sighed and made a sound due to dreaming. He reached over to brush a lock of her hair out of her eyes, to which she squinted at. His finger slightly lingered on her cheek, the pleasurable but fleeting sensation of her skin soothing him. He drew his hand away when he heard a thump coming from outside their door. Kennedy heard it too and her eyes flew open. Her eyes met the soldier's, alert and urgent as they listened to what sounded like the lock being picked. The soldier bent down and brushed his lips against her ear whispering,

"Get under the bed."

"What about you?" She replied just as quietly.

"Get under the bed." Grumpy's tone made her comply unwillingly and she made little noise, shuffling on the ground and contorting herself to fit under the small space. She watched in anticipation as Grumpy's boots moved further away towards the bathroom as there was a wall obstructing his view of the front door.

The soldier concealed himself behind the bathroom door and held his gun up, finger ready on the trigger as he waited for the intruder. The door opened with a click, both Kennedy and the soldier listened on as the sound of footsteps entered the room. The soldier stood there, concentrated on the slow, hesitant and calculated steps of the intruder, trying to analyse the danger of their situation. This person was not police as they had a lighter footing from dress shoes. These were combat boots. It wasn't the army since he would have heard a commotion from the other motel guests. This person managed to slip past people undetected and his steps were similar to that of his, if not a bit sloppier. It had to be HYDRA. Peering out from behind the door, the soldier's breath stilled as he saw the man moving towards the bed. Kennedy made absolutely no sound or movement as she watched a pair of boots that did not resemble Grumpy's approach her. The man began to bend down to check under the bed, but the soldier moved with lightning speed and shot the man in his leg, causing him to scream out in pain. The soldier bolted for him, spinning him around and jabbing him with immense force on his throat.

Kennedy got out from underneath the bed to see Grumpy fighting the armed assailant. The man rammed Grumpy into the wall, causing him to groan as his back made sharp contact with the hard surface. The man punched his jaw to which Grumpy responded by kicking him in the groin, which faltered his movements enough to allow the soldier to grab him in a head lock. Grumpy pushed at the hinge of the man's knee with his foot, rendering him immobile on his knees as the soldier began his interrogation.

"Are you HYDRA?" Grumpy demanded.

"You know...it's fate. I had to burn the bunker down to cover our tracks but you two were there. I followed you guys to finish what our supreme leader started," the man managed to get out.

"Wrong move."

"There's more to this than you think. This operation is not about you anymore. It's about her. And people like her; it's an age of miracles." Kennedy froze as she took in this information. There were others out there? How? She marched up to him and snatched Grumpy's dagger from his belt, holding it against his throat menacingly.

"Who else is a target, arsehole? Besides the stereotypical world domination, what else do you want? Answer me or else I will cut off the only reason you have to call yourself a man."

"Did you ever know what happened to your family, Walsh? Your real family?"

"What?" The man was playing a dangerous game. She pressed the knife harder on his jugular to make it bleed; a small drop slowly falling.

"If you let me go, I'll tell you..." The soldier's eyes flitted to the needle coming out of the man's sleeve. His eyes widening, he didn't think twice about snapping his neck with a sickening crack. Kennedy did not even flinch but only blinked. The soldier dropped his body on the ground and maneuvered her to come away from the gory sight. He took her face in his hands and tried to get her to look at him.

"We have to go," he told her. She didn't respond though her expression was stunned.

"HYDRA took my family from me?" She whispered.

"He could have been lying. You don't know that."

"But it makes sense. Operation Lazarus… bringing me in to build Tesla, it's connected. Oh jeez..." she closed her eyes and bit down on her lip. The room slightly rumbled catching the soldier's attention.

"Calm down," he replied, gripping her face tighter in comfort.

"They've taken everything..."

"Look at me."

"They're going to pay!" Everything around them shattered and he immediately shielded her, taking them both to the ground in cover. Glass flew in all directions, the wood of the doors turned to splinters. The soldier looked at Kennedy in his arms, equally shocked at her disastrous outburst. Her eyes were on the windows in awe and she had no injuries thankfully.

"We have to go," he repeated and pulled her up with him. He stashed the remaining items in their duffle bag, checked the agent's body to take his phone, finally he took her hand and they ran out what was left of the building.

In the car Kennedy said nothing, only biting her fingernails; she put up her feet on the dashboard and stared out the window of the third car they had stolen since they've been on the run.

"Disable the GPS tracker and encryption on the phone," she mumbled to Tesla, not looking away from the blurring trees.

"Confirmed; File search?" Tesla asked.

"Look for a target list or names of significance. Maybe we can warn them somehow." Tesla remained silent afterward. The soldier opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Don't ask if I'm okay," she muttered.

"I wasn't. Just wanted to know if you're hungry," he replied. Their eyes met briefly and she couldn't help a small but grateful smile from gracing her face. Grumpy knew her too well. To be honest, some ramen would definitely make her feel better. Japanese food always fed her soul; her mind briefly drifted to a restaurant called 'Wagamama' in England. She then questioned whether or not, she will ever go back. She was pulled back to reality by Tesla's helpful voice.

"Names retrieved. Admin see. Could assist with previous search from previous hours." She perked up in anticipation as he referred to her research on her ability.

A name in bold with a picture of a well-groomed and bearded man in a doctor's uniform appeared on the translucent screen.

It read, "NEUROSURGEON: DOCTOR STEPHEN STRANGE."


	18. Chapter 18

Apparently, Dr. Stephen Strange was the best neurosurgeon and brain scientist in the Western Hemisphere… he went missing after a car accident 2 years prior. Why would a doctor be on HYDRA'S hit list? What skills did he possess that made him a threat? Judging by the information in his personal record, he healed people, he never killed anyone, and he wasn't a spy. He was good. Was **that** the reason why HYDRA wanted him dead? Because he was a good person? Kennedy didn't doubt that, seeing as the organization made it their life's mission to stomp out anything and everything good and decent in the world. She read summaries of his research while Grumpy drove along the lonely highway to Louisiana. She briefly reminded herself to beg her soldier to stop off in New Orleans. She had wanted to visit there for years. Just because they were on the run, didn't mean that they couldn't somewhat enjoy themselves. Again, might as well live it up.

They had stopped off for ramen as planned and she smiled as she recalled teaching Grumpy to use chopsticks. When he saw them, he looked incredibly alarmed, as if they were the most complicated and daunting instruments he had ever come across. They sat in a whole in the wall at a Japanese restaurant with at least two people sitting in a faraway corner. It was 2 in the morning after all. She moved her chair closer to him and took his confused hands in hers and proceeded to fit the chopsticks in their proper position.

"Now just move the chopstick on top with your thumb, index and middle finger…" she told him and let go to see him moving it slowly but surely. She loved moments like these; showing him new things that he soaked up with curiosity and the will to learn more. Right now, they weren't fugitives on the run but normal people, enjoying an incredibly late dinner or a very early exotic breakfast.

"Now time for the best part," she said, taking up a good amount of noodles with the chopsticks. Grumpy watched her and tried his best to do the same. He managed to scoop up half of the amount she had, but succeeded nonetheless. She honestly didn't care to be ladylike and mostly stuffed the slimy noodles into her mouth. Grumpy did the same and she almost choked when she saw the expression on his face. His eyes were wide in amazement as he chewed, a stray noodle hanging from his lip. She laughed and reached over to wipe it from his mouth; his face reddening slightly.

"It's good," he commented, eating more.

"Indeed. Make sure you chew. I don't want my best friend choking on me," she chuckled. The soldier paused, finding the polished wooden table fascinating. Kennedy didn't pick up on it immediately but her attention then drifted to Grumpy who was watching her intently. His eyes bore into hers, moved to the point of speechlessness. She didn't comprehend why.

"What?" she asked innocently. Grumpy opened and closed his mouth, struggling to form words. Then he looked up at her shyly.

"Really?"

"What do you mean?"

"Am I really your…best friend?" Her heart melted at his innocence and it slightly broke at the fact that her soldier never encountered something like this during this life with HYDRA. While he acknowledged that Steve Rogers was his best friend in the past, it was still unfamiliar. Being called someone's best friend must have been a big deal for him.

"Of course you are, Grumpy," she replied softly, smiling gently before going back to her noodles.

The soldier pondered Kennedy's indirect proclamation as they ate in silence. Being called such a name, constituted a slightly higher level of trust and intimacy between the two of them. A best friend in his understanding meant something entirely special, standing out amongst all others. While the two of them were kindred spirits and had no one else to form attachments with, the soldier was deeply moved, right down to the core. It was natural for her to say, with her being open and all; however, he seemed unworthy of such a title. But, he was glad that he was considered such a person.

Additionally, when he looked at her and replayed the words 'best friend', he did not believe that the word 'friend' was enough to describe her. He saw something more to her… felt something more with her. He just didn't know how to place it. What was it? Why was it so hard to understand? He shut out his doubt and decided to keep his thoughts to himself, finishing his noodles while Kennedy remained oblivious.

That night, they stayed away from motels as they decided to change their pattern. HYDRA could have been anywhere, marking their route, or seeking them out… Without complaint, they parked up among some trees when they turned onto a dirt road. Kennedy wasn't particularly scared by it even though this setting was ever present in horror movies. She got comfortable, bringing her legs to her chest and draping the blanket over herself. She gnawed on her lip thoughtfully and the soldier noticed her distance.

"Are you alright?" he asked mildly concerned. She sighed and nodded, not saying anything. He turned slightly in his seat to watch her.

"You're lying." She was keeping something from him and it was clearly bothering her since she refused to look at him and she picked at her fingernails. She did that when she was nervous. He didn't want her to be uncomfortable; she needed to tell him what was on her mind.

"I know you didn't approve of this earlier, but…"

"Tell me."

"We need to track down Stephen Strange." Not this again, he thought. Why couldn't she understand how dangerous it was? The world was looking for them and would surely discover them were they to embark on this mission. The look on his face said it all which made her exasperated.

"Look, I read all about his work and he's researched so much on the human brain. That means he knows everything about emotional responses, brain power and even evolutionary parts that haven't even accessed! Please Grumpy, I'm begging you. I need to find him and ask him to help me. I could learn so much…"

"He's on HYDRA's target list for a reason. That means he's dangerous and we can't trust him. How do you know he will not just use you for research? What if he will turn you into an experiment like what the doctors did? I'm not taking that risk with you." The hope in her eyes began to dwindle.

"But it is worth the risk! It's not black and white."

"You don't need him to teach you; you have me."

"There's a big difference Grumpy! He can help me." The desperation on her face made his heart break but this was for her own good, to protect his mission.

"There is no difference."

"I'M NOT HUMAN!" her voice rose in the small space and the sound of crickets was all that hung between them, the car window rumbling slightly. Her face was red and her eyes wide from frustration and desperation. She closed her eyes to calm down before the glass broke, hurting them both. She shook her head and basically shut down in front of him, her face void of emotion as she made herself comfortable once again in her seat.

"Forget it," she mumbled and closed her eyes to attempt sleep. The soldier hated upsetting her and realised that this was their first major argument. He was at a loss of what to do to make it right. The obvious choice was to track down this neurosurgeon that was so important to her. But when it came to her well-being, he trusted no one but himself. Somehow, a thought chipped away at him that made his blood crawl _. 'We escaped to get away from HYDRA, yet I'm the one still holding her prisoner'_ , he thought. Kennedy never asked him for anything, never complained, constantly acting selflessly towards him. This was the one thing she desired. She was so fearful of her capabilities and he knew that he would never truly discern what she was experiencing. 'I'm not human,' played in his mind. Was he really afraid of putting her in danger? Or was it that he was afraid of possibly encountering anything that was tied to his past?

Her back was killing her and her eyes opened to the morning light peaking over the tall pine trees of the forested area in which they resided. She smiled gently at the beautiful sight, wondering why they hadn't done this before. Remarkably, she put aside the pain and preferred this to the musty and depressing motel rooms. Maybe today was going to be a better day; she thought optimistically but then mentally slapped herself. Life wasn't like a movie; what was she talking about? However, it wouldn't have hurt to admire the view and step outside for a refreshing stretch. She sparingly glanced over at Grumpy who sat in his seat with his eyes closed and head bent forward. She tried her best to take her mind off of the emotional situation that transpired the night before. While her anger and frustration wasn't solely directed at him, she needed to take a walk to shake off the negativity. She softly opened the door and closed it half way, partially locking it in place. She tucked her hands in her pockets and strode towards the trees. She heard the lapping of water; a river maybe? She moved towards the sound, her light steps crunching the leaves beneath her. A few moments of walking passed and she was joined by another pair of footsteps. She didn't turn around to see that it was Grumpy but saw him out of the corner of her eye for good measure. So much for wanting alone time, she thought. Wordlessly, they meandered throughout the trees and finally arrived at the brook. She let out a satisfied breath and lowered herself to the ground, curling her legs underneath her. Grumpy took his place beside her, staring at the constant flowing and rolling of the liquid downstream. Neither uttered a word for several minutes but enjoyed the sun's subtle warmth, the cool breeze and sounds of a world untouched by machines, weapons and hatred.

"I'm sorry," he spoke up, making her turn to him in surprise.

"Don't apologise. I threw a tantrum. It won't happen again," she replied, not wanting him to be sorry for trying his best to keep her safe.

"I've been selfish with you. You shouldn't still be a prisoner." Her eyebrows shot up drastically at that statement.

"Grumpy…"

"No. It's just…hard for me to trust anyone with you. I can't help it. I want to protect you from everything but it seems that doesn't help at all. It wouldn't make me any different from…"

"Don't say that!"

"I agree that finding an expert can help. We'll track down this neurosurgeon. But as soon as he slips up, I'm taking him down whether you want me to or not. Those are my conditions." Kennedy wanted to cry, not just because she felt like an ungrateful spoilt bitch but also that he was willing to put aside his fears and reservations for her sake, so she could feel better, be happy and secure in her own skin. Grumpy rose to his feet and held his hand out for her. She pulled herself up and lunged for him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. While any man would have fallen flat on their ass from the force, Grumpy had his feet planted firmly on the ground with her in his embrace. He buried his face in her white hair and kept her securely to him.

"I'm sorry, Grumpy," she mumbled.

"Me too," he replied.


	19. Chapter 19

**_A/N: Hey guys, hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for your reviews and follows. This is the long awaited encounter you guys have been waiting for..._**

 _A few months later..._

Kennedy sighed, her head jerking up and down in her attempts to stay awake; the soldier was no different. Both of them, after months of their endless and unsuccessful search for Dr. Stephen Strange, were utterly drained and on the brink of insanity. They couldn't go on much longer, the running, the paranoia and the doubt taking their toll. The soldier deemed this their last lead before disappearing off the grid for good. Kennedy happily agreed to this compromise since she too was losing hope and motivation. While this caused immediate frustration and heartbreak on Kennedy's part, she gave him credit for covering his tracks so well that Tesla was at a loss for what else to do. And she is not impressed easily. Right now, they were currently scoping out a location in Philadelphia that he was rumored to be hiding in 7 weeks ago. They stayed a considerable distance two blocks away in an abandoned building, waiting for Tesla to scan and process every square inch of the house.

"Take 15 minutes," he told her. She looked up at him with groggy eyes.

"Only if you sleep after," she mumbled. He nodded, really wanting and **needing** the sleep. He drew her close to him and put her head to rest on his shoulder while he waited patiently for Tesla to update. They sat up against the wall under the window, dirty and miserable.

"What's taking so long?" He growled at the phone.

"Be nice," Kennedy whispered distantly, either talking to him or in her sleep.

"This particular...doctor...uses a security protocol...that is not...mechanical...nor electronic," Tesla informed disappointedly. This made the soldier confused.

"How is that possible? What else can it be?" He asked.

"I'm getting through...as best as I can. The house is...protected by...some form of...energy. It is taking time...but I am using multiple frequencies...to confuse it." That's not normal, he thought. Whoever this doctor was, he was bad news but at least the soldier had a backup plan. He looked down at the gun on the ground next to him. Kennedy sighed and adjusted herself to link her arm with his. The soldier looked down at her hand, gently gripping his forearm. He gently pried it off only to interlock their fingers. While the past few months were rough, he considered them the best in his life, cherishing the brief moments of experiencing new food, seeing new places and forgetting, even for a few minutes that they were fugitives. Almost every night, he pulled out his custom made star map to look at what was above them. Then, his thoughts wandered to life after they accomplished their mission. Would they go their separate ways? The idea of such a thing seized him with despair. If she were to leave, he would undoubtedly follow her anywhere she went. Whether she wanted that or not was another obstacle he had to overcome.

The phone suddenly buzzed as Tesla's work was done. Kennedy's eyes fluttered open at the alert and took it from Grumpy, both of them peering at the screen.

"Scan...complete...safe to go..." he said. Kennedy looked at Grumpy in questioning. He nodded and pulled her up to stand with him.

"Let's go," he said. Kennedy held back a smirk as she realised that he continued to hold on to her hand as they made their way out of the decrepit structure.

They snuck through the back door after Grumpy picked the lock with lightning speed. Holding the gun in front of him with his finger on the trigger, he cleared out all corners and hallways with precision and ease. Kennedy admitted that it was...sexy. Yes, that was the word. The whole swat team, badass assassin kind of vibe was a turn on. But we have no time for that, she told herself. She took in the room before her, if you could call it that.

"This place is dreadful. My old room looked more attractive than this. And that's saying a lot," she claimed, gingerly stepping over the books and scattered papers that effectively made the ground disappear. It was a known fact that geniuses didn't frequently keep a tidy room. But this was extreme; it wasn't intelligence that was reflected here, it looked like madness. Grumpy held out his hand to help her over a destroyed desktop that was blocking the doorway. She took it gratefully and hopped over it and they were standing in the living room. Nothing special but a sofa and a love seat, a TV set from the 90s and table with a landline and answering machine. The latter's red light was on, indicating that a message hadn't been deleted yet. Kennedy shifted over to the machine and pressed the play button.

"Hey Houdini, Stark here. Heard you were back in town from...wherever you were...you didn't tell me so I'm going to assume that it's hedonism and I could really use some help with a brain thingamajig that Banner is working on. Don't worry, I'm sending my jet for you to come to New York so don't worry your pretty little sideburns about a thing. Be there or be square, big man. Chao." The message ended and Kennedy squealed with excitement.

"We hit the jackpot, Grumpy! I believe that's what the Americans say," she beamed at him, bouncing up and down. He looked down at her curiously as he met her in the living room. However her expression turned slightly hesitant when she realised something.

"What?" He questioned.

"Um, do you want the good news or bad news?" She started off.

"Just tell me."

"Ok, Dr. Strange is going to New York. But he's staying with the Avengers in their tower." The soldier turned away from her and gripped his head in frustration. Just great, he thought bitterly. Kennedy nodded to herself, accepting his refusal. It was too good to be true anyway; Grumpy wouldn't let her anywhere near them for her own safety as usual. She looked on as he continued to struggle with his inner battle.

The soldier simply had no idea what to do. Why was this so difficult? What to do? Could he trust this group of people? What if they wanted to capture them? And then he gulped, thinking about Steve Rogers, the man he saved, the first target he ever spared in his life. He sighed and rubbed his almost bearded jaw irritably. What to do? He didn't sense Kennedy behind him and immediately stilled when he felt her comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned around slowly, anticipating her pleading or disappointed eyes. However, he saw neither. Her expression was neutral and those piercing green orbs burned with understanding.

"You've made really tough sacrifices for keeping us safe, Grumpy. Now, it's my turn. We keep our head down and we forget about all this. I'll figure everything out, don't worry. Let's get out of here, alright?" She explained, as if her hopes just left overnight. His guilt was painful. She was giving up her desire for help so that he would feel better; he couldn't do that to her.

"I know that look. It's fine, Grumpy. I promise." He sighed, the guilt becoming worse. She held out her hand for him to take.

"Come on. Let's get a car and go to Florida or something. We could see NASA?" She offered positively and he took her hand.

They stole a common and inconspicuous car, Kennedy immediately rolling down the wind and closing her eyes to appreciate the nightly wind. The soldier however was not at this kind of peace. He was tormented, loathing himself for being so selfish with her. The truth was that he not only wanted to run from his past but he believed that these Avengers and this doctor would take her away from him. She was the only thing he knew, and without her he didn't know what to do. But she had a life outside of him, a power she needed help understanding. He, sadly, was not enough to help her. The contrast between the two disheartened. He made a decision. Soon enough, Kennedy realised it too.

"The freeway to Florida is that way," she pointed out in confusion.

"We're not going to Florida," he stated determinedly. It was time to face everything. A big smile broke out on Kennedy's face.

 _A few days later…_

Steve Rogers and his teammates gathered in Tony's overly spacious and extravagant living room, waiting for this mysterious colleague to appear; his name was Stephen Strange for goodness sake. Apparently, Dr. Strange was going to help the team with prevention techniques in case of mental attacks from enemies by assisting in the design of a device that would protect the brain from damage. Tony claimed that they were friends and that he was one of the greatest medicinal minds on the planet, but as usual, Steve remained wary due to his recent acquisition of supernatural powers (which wasn't surprising given the world in which they lived). It was better to be safe than sorry. The helipad was right outside the Plexiglas and their attention turned the open night sky outside as the charcoal grey jet hovered and then grounded. The team stood up expectantly as they watched the doctor disembark. Steve's suspicion grew at the sight of the man. He was lean, his posture displaying a confident air about him; his moustache and goatee were very precise and carefully shaped and his hair greyed at the edges. While his appearance was in fact impressive, what struck Steve the most were his eyes. They were greyish-blue and utterly haunted, filled with what looked like regret and loathing. If the Avengers thought the same, they didn't express their views out loud. Tony stepped forward and held his arms out in greeting.

"Houdini! Thanks for being here on such short notice," he said enthusiastically without smiling or beaming extensively. Strange looked around the room in consideration with his arms behind his back.

"I see you've upgraded," he replied bluntly.

"Yup. Anyway, let's get right to it. Stephen, meet the guys. Guys meet Stephen Strange, our little bunny rabbit in a hat."

"Magic jokes will only get you so far, Stark."

"Killing the fun as usual."

"It's very good of you to come all this way Doctor. We really appreciate it," Steve spoke up and stepped forward offering his hand cordially. A few awkward moments passed before Strange shook his hand firmly. Did he have something against hands or something? Steve asked himself.

"Physician of the Strange, welcome," Thor bellowed and a brilliant smile. The others, being Widow and Hawkeye remained silent but polite in their expressions.

"Banner's in the lab if you want to go up there now," Tony offered, patting him on the back.

"Of course," Strange replied and gestured for Tony to lead the way.

"Science weekend, thank God. Pepper wanted me to help her redecorate."

"I'm sorry to intrude, sir, but we have company downstairs," Friday, Tony's second best A.I came up on the intercom. The Avengers looked at each other suspiciously. They all made their way downstairs with their respective weapons on separate elevators to the lobby while Strange stayed upstairs with Banner, not really minding the situation. However when they reached the polished and brightly lit gathering space on the ground floor, they were met with something much unexpected. Two figures emerged from the doors, a very tense and wired male and a small and eager female. Steve froze, his breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight before him... Hawkeye and Widow already had their weapons out but slowly put them to their sides when they realized who the pair was. Before the Avengers stood, his friend and comrade, a bearded and deadly looking Bucky Barnes holding a .45 handgun calculatedly at the group that emerged. His eyes watched everyone's moves, ready to shoot to kill if the need arose. Beside him, more like behind him was the white haired British genius Kennedy Walsh, whom Steve was looking forward to meeting face to face. Kennedy leaned up to whisper something in Bucky's ear. He didn't flinch, his eyes never leaving the group and she rolled her eyes. She came from behind him with her arms up to show that she was unarmed. The team took in this small and unearthly looking girl.

"Hullo. Pardon me for the intrusions but I believe we have an appointment with a certain doctor?" she said with a twinge of nervousness and humour. When no one laughed, her small smile fell. She asked, "Not good?"


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Peeps! Keep your reviews coming! They are so inspiring and give me fantastic feedback. I love you all 3 I just moved into my flat yesterday and will start uni officially tomorrow so wish me luck. Some chapters might take a bit of time to put up but fear not, they WILL be posted. Enjoy!**

The soldier glared at the individuals that stared at them incredulously, his gaze snapping to the disbelief and shock in Steve Rogers' face. Kennedy moved forward with her arms out as a sign of civility and the soldier moved along with her, still pointing his gun. Nobody dared to speak after her declaration of her desire to speak with Stephen Strange.

"Can someone say something, please? The awkwardness is suffocating," Kennedy pleaded dropping her arms to her side.

"Well forgive us for feeling a bit weird since HYDRA's world class assassin is pointing a gun at us," Hawkeye clipped.

"Ex-assassin, mind you. We've retired," Kennedy bit back.

"How can we trust you? What do you want with Dr. Strange?" Steve spoke in a firm tone, not threatening whatsoever as he saw Bucky clutch the gun tighter.

"To answer your first question, you can trust me because I played my part in bringing down HYDRA and to further elaborate on the question you are probably about to ask: I only went to prison since I was a stupid teenager who had the absurd dream of running away with the love of her life. So yes, you can trust me. Your second question: I need the doctor's help," Kennedy explained.

"Help with what?"

"Me." The last answer stunned Steve. What was wrong with her that she and a brainwashed assassin had to track down a neurosurgeon, for months going by how exhausted, cranky and disheveled they looked?

"Please. We've come all this way. And I'm in desperate need of a shower," Kennedy's eyes turned into those of a puppy, staring at Tony who's interest in the genius was peaked as soon as she opened the door. However, he was not so keen on the soldier.

"Your Pitbull murdered my parents," he growled arguably. The soldier looked startled and then guilty. Kennedy turned around to tell him something, her hand gently pushing his arms down so the gun wasn't trained on them. Steve observed as Bucky's eyes roamed over her face, drinking in everything that she was saying. He could tell that he didn't agree with her, however, he gently nodded, deciding to listen.

"He didn't know. He doesn't fully remember anything from before, except recent events. HYDRA did that to you, not him," she told Tony whose stormy expression didn't faze.

"He and I are going to have a little chat," he stepped forward and Bucky was about to pull out his gun until...

"You'd be dead before you can say Iron Man if you make a move on him. Back the fuck up," Kennedy growled stepping in front of Bucky. All eyes turned to her in shock. She shifted uncomfortably under the attention but stood her ground, her eyebrow lifting as if to say 'do you really want to test me?' The looming soldier behind her felt that familiar surge of pride and smugness at the tiny genius' fiery attitude. Tony contemplated her for a second, his arms crossed and head cocked curiously to the side, studying her.

"Let's take this upstairs, shall we?" He ordered, "Thor you go with them in elevator 3."

"What just happened?" Steve asked Romanoff.

"She's interesting enough to get his attention. Look out for your friend though. I'm not sure how this night will end," she said cryptically as usual before sauntering off with Clint to elevator 2. Steve's gaze lingered on Bucky, how drained but fierce he looked beside Kennedy. Every move he made was to protect her. Hell, both of them did what they did to protect each other. He just hoped that that was a sign of the old Bucky emerging.

The two of them stood in the third elevator with the massive giant that was Thor, God of thunder. Kennedy couldn't help but marvel at the deity who stood guard at the entrance of the doors. Grumpy was so tense beside her that she was sure a vein would pop out soon. She took his hand for reassurance and she felt him significantly relax. In order to break the ice, she spoke up.

"How old are you?" She asked casually. Thor turned around realising that she was speaking to him. He displayed an amazing smile for her and she swooned briefly. What? He was cute and his biceps were bigger than her future.

"2543, my lady Walsh," he replied taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. Grumpy visibly tensed and Thor immediately released her.

"Forgive me friend. I was ignorant that you two are courting." Kennedy laughed both at his elaborate speech but it trailed off thinking about the last statement. It wasn't like she and Grumpy were a thing. Were they? Did she fancy him? An answer in the back of her mind scared her a little.

"No we're not," she answered truthfully. Grumpy looked away, his expression incredibly displeased. It wasn't said out of spite or anything. It was simply the truth and Grumpy didn't indicate that their relationship was otherwise.

An electronic noise rippled through the air and they stepped off.

"I don't like this," Grumpy mumbled to her.

"Don't worry. We won't be staying long. As soon as Dr. Strange finds out what's going on with me, we can leave. I promise," she whispered to him with pleading eyes. This was a big deal for her and he wanted her to be at ease when he was helpless to do it himself. His expression softened and he nodded, not letting go of her hand. The others got off of the elevators the same time they did and Tony gestured to the sofa to have a seat. His eyes never left the assassin who seemed to dote on Walsh's every word like a puppy. Kennedy sat in the middle of one of the couches with the Barnes right next to her, watching them warily.

"Wait here," Romanoff said and left to go to the lab to fetch Banner and Strange. The soldier was becoming increasingly agitated as Rogers continued to stare at him.

"You two should talk," Kennedy said lowly for Grumpy to hear. He turned to her sharply.

"His staring is not going away. Clearly he has a lot to say. And I know you have as well." His expression tried to prove her otherwise but she knew better.

"And you call me stubborn. Just think of it as closure if you want. Or you can do the unexpected." Before she had a chance to say anything else, they were joined by two others. One was short and in glasses, wearing a purple shirt and an expression that looked like he was called downstairs by his mother. The other was just what Kennedy was looking for. She stood up and observed the man.

"You don't match the description of your place. I heard someone's living space is a reflection of who they are," she said, unsure of whether or not that was a rude thing to say.

The doctor scrutinised the white haired girl. She was indeed strange (no pun intended) and he began to circle her. He could feel his magic itching for a stretch, something about her was pulling it. He stopped in front of her with a bemused expression and lifted his hand to her temples in order to read her pulsing and intoxicating energy. However, he was stopped by a painful and gripping force on his arm. The soldier who constantly shadowed her had his arm in a death grip, his metal fingers deliberately hovering over his veins. He looked at the doctor furious and deadly.

"Don't. Touch. Her," he enunciated. Kennedy sighed.

"Grumpy, he's a doctor. If you don't trust him, then trust me," she said evenly. Strange observed the young man as the gears worked in his head, as if the duties of a soldier and duties towards the girl were clashing. He let go and Strange immediately got to work. His cool fingers gently held her head by her temples and he tried to reach her mind. While this would have been considered a meagre task for ordinary people, it wasn't for her. The energy surrounding her was difficult to penetrate. Fascinating; absolutely challenging. It was extensively powerful, nothing he had every experienced and he had a distinct feeling as to why she sought him out. She was afraid of it.

"I'm afraid that I cannot find anything," he announced to her bluntly.

"Are you a psychic or something? Because that would be unfortunate," She asked sceptically with a hint of disappointment.

"Yes it would. No, my dear. I mean that I cannot find anything. Maybe this ability of yours is as complicated as I thought. Perhaps we can take another approach: medicine. Follow me, we have much to discuss."

"Wait, what ability are you talking about?" Banner asked curiously, aware of his team mates' confusion. Strange watched him expressionlessly and gestured for Kennedy to follow him to the lab.

"Miss Walsh, if you would accompany me. If your bodyguard insists, he may observe but not get in my way. Understood?" Kennedy nodded; she found herself liking this guy. Strange led the three man party into the white washed hallway. The Avengers were left alone speechless until Tony broke the silence.

"How rude," he mimicked Stephanie Tanner's voice.

"You know you look and speak like this actor everyone's obsessed with back home. What's his name? Benedict-" Kennedy voice echoed in the hallway.

"Yes. I get that a lot," Strange answered her.

The lab was a very modern and spacious room, filled with holograms and computers and equipment which made Kennedy light up and explore the room curiously while Strange set up. The soldier crossed his arms and leaned on the doorway, watching her as she looked around in wonder. A small smile played on the corner of his mouth.

"Better than back at the base, right Grumpy? Come!" She called enthusiastically and stretched out her hand to beckon him over. He slowly and carefully made his way to her and she maneuvered him to her side.

"Can you guess what this is?" She asked him, pointing to the complicated instrument on the table. He had no idea but a little thought nudged at the back of his subconscious. He had seen this before, but in a different form. He found himself wanting to impress her and thought harder.

"A quantum fuel generator?" He guessed trying to pinpoint the design with the name she showed him when they were back at the HYDRA base. It was a Sunday and Kennedy built one when she was bored, showing him its use and how it worked.

"Well done, my protégé," she winked mischievously which made him try to hold back a smile. He had to admit that listening to her constantly ramble about science was...entertaining and handy.

"Right. I need you to put this on, Miss Walsh. You'll be more comfortable as the machine scans you," Strange handed her a cross breed between a nightgown and a boyfriend's obligatory white t shirt.

"For science," she said and started to carelessly strip. The men turned around immediately, Grumpy acutely aware of whether or not the other was watching. She held in a laugh at Grumpy's pensive shoulders as if he were trying hard not to turn around and peep. He was a man after all. She scowled at how short it was and coughed to signal that she was ready.

"What's next?" she asked.

"Come up on the table. Let's get started," Strange didn't look at her as he booted up the machine. Grumpy eyed the machine hesitantly.

"It's ok. It just a scan," she said quietly. The trauma from HYDRA and the unfamiliar and crowded environment was amplifying his paranoia and fears with regards to her. The table was pretty high and he decided to carefully lift her into his arms and onto the table.

"Soldier, would you step back please?" Strange requested. He did as he was told, his eyes never leaving her. She lay down and relaxed.

"Now don't move too much. We are going to do a CT scan first to look at your body," Strange informed her. The machine wasn't like those in ordinary hospitals; obviously they've been "Starked". This machine was converted into a full hologram masterpiece, less bulky, more efficient as the tests results were probably linked to Tony's A.I. Strange guided the machine on its flexible stand and situated it over her body. She watched in wonder at the images flickered onto the screen. What was going on inside her? The next scan was with a similar holographic screen, an advanced version of an MRI which turned out to be less than successful. As the screen hovered above her head, the lights started to dim and flicker. Strange frowned and continue to hold it above her until it sparked. She yelped in shock and Grumpy was by her side in lightning speed, shoving the machine away from her violently.

"I'm fine, Grumpy. Thank you," she told him as she sat up, his hand on her back. Strange said nothing but looked at the scans that managed to evade her energy and the consequent damage it did.

"It seems that your brain is the treasure chamber. It's guarded by overwhelming amounts of energy while the rest of your body, when relaxed, seems to just wait for it to command and control. We need to do psychological tests in order to proceed," he finally spoke up.

"Thank you, Dr. Strange. I really appreciate this," Kennedy told him sincerely, "But I have to ask, why did you help me?" He paused and Kennedy supposed that she shouldn't have asked since he wasn't one for conversation. But he surprised her with a softened tone in his voice.

"You remind me of myself, in my youth. Brilliant and destined for greatness," he answered and left it at that.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hehe! New chapter guys :) For those who are dying inwardly, the kiss is coming sooner than you think ;) Keep looking out for it and reviewing. Enjoy!**

Steve waited patiently outside of the lab for Kennedy and Bucky to come out. What was he going to say to Bucky? What was there left to say? Was his eagerness to help his friend only going to push him away? Strange exited the lab, typing away absently on his tablet without acknowledging him, followed by Kennedy who was wearing a big white shirt thing (suddenly making him a master of eye contact). Bucky was right behind her and they stopped in their tracks when he got their attention with a nervous cough. The ragged and tired man before them looked at him uncertainly and Kennedy gave him a knowing and encouraging look before going to the living room, leaving him visibly unsettled.

"You know we won't hurt her, right?" Steve broke the ice. Bucky's steely eyes searched his for any sign of deception before nodding slowly.

"I'm really glad you're here. I've been looking everywhere for you. Both of you."

"Why?" Bucky asked lowly. He crossed his arms, as if putting up a defense. Steve felt a pang in his chest, thinking of what HYDRA did to him to make him think that his friends weren't out there; as if why would anyone care about a machine? He sadly admitted to himself that the old Bucky was gone; the one that was somewhat cocky, confident and…happy. But it didn't mean that he wasn't worth saving. The caged and damaged man before him still had a chance.

"Because you are my friend, Buck. Whether you accept that or not, it's fine with me. It doesn't change the fact that you saved my life. You didn't have to but you did anyway, and that means something." The soldier pondered Steve's words. 'Just think of it as closure if you want. Or you can do the unexpected,' Kennedy's words from earlier echoed in his mind. The man who stood before him wasn't always like this, as he vaguely recalled a littler version of him; fighting those much bigger than him. He tried so hard, being so relentless in…helping him when he didn't even deserve it. While he trusted no one but Kennedy, a distinct gut feeling arose, like the ones he experienced when he realized something. It was the feeling of truth and sincerity. Steve Rogers **really** wanted to help him. But could he let him? '…you can do the unexpected'.

What came next was in fact unforeseen. Steve was undeniably expecting Bucky to reject him, to leave after this encounter but he found himself gaping at his friend who nodded in response to his proclamation, after moments of consideration. Steve regained his composure and didn't hide the grateful smile from gracing his face. The two wordlessly made their way to the living room where the Avengers were scattered and Kennedy was chatting with Tony and Banner. Steve wasn't surprised; it seemed that Tony and Banner were no longer a dynamic duo since a trio was inevitably forming. Science brought people together he supposed.

"I can't believe that you have the newest quinjet! Since the energy and fuel comes from the arc reactor, I always wanted to use its cells to power an entirely new space station. Imagine using just a handful of those. This is brilliant," Kennedy beamed at her two friends, two men she admired and respected in the scientific community. Banner found a smile on his face inevitable as she prattled on about complex things that only the three of them understood. He was pleased that promising talent at such a young age did not go to waste in this day and age where others preferred to 'whip and nae nae' unfortunately. Tony continued to assess her with a knowing eye that Kennedy didn't notice. However, Bruce knew it indicated that Tony approved of her. He betted 100 bucks that Tony would ask her to stay here and possibly work with him in the future. Tony saw the opportunity and he took it.

"Alright, gang, new plan. Looks like the elf and her Pitbull are going to be staying with us for a while. I don't know for how long, but they have valuable intel that could help us take down the rest of HYDRA. You two get your own floor above this one, so keep it down ok?" Tony cracked. Bruce hid a smirk; there it was, the approval accompanied with wise cracking remarks. He thought that these bets should have started becoming tangible. Kennedy blinked several times at the last comment while the soldier didn't quite understand what he meant.

"Elf, Pepper left some stuff for you to wear for the time being. I almost forgot! Since you two are literally like a magnet and metal, Strange suggested that we start the psychological testing tonight. Kennedy sleeps alone." The soldier didn't like that; they always slept in the same room. What was this test really proving? If the soldier's insomnia worsened? They always slept better together. Kennedy didn't like it either but shrugged sadly at him. He nodded, shooting daggers at Tony and Strange who wasn't even in the room. It was like HYDRA separating them all over again which made his heart speed up; just being here made everything worse. Kennedy saw his agitation and came right up to him.

"Hey, Grumpy. Don't worry. Tony told me that the rooms are right next to each other. I'll even sneak in to see you so we can make fun of their ridiculous uniforms," she explained and he lightly scoffed at her little joke. They silently went to their respective floor which was separated by a flight of glass stairs. The white and grey colour scheme reminded Kennedy of her flat in Chelsea and the layout was also similar. It had two bedrooms, the doors facing each other, a living room with a huge TV and a kitchen on the side. She liked it; it was cozy and simple for the two of them.

Kennedy went about choosing her room and waved at him goodnight. The soldier sulkily went to the other room but stopped when he heard a cough behind him. He slowly turned on his heel to see a stone cold Tony Stark, gazing at him with his hands behind his back. The soldier's hand itched towards the .45 in the back of his pants.

"Steady, Pitbull. I wanna talk," he conveyed. The soldier scrutinized his intentions as Stark stepped closer. The two simply glared at each other, both gaging what the other was going to do. The silence rang piercingly in the soldier's ears and his fists started to clench in discomfort. He could have easily taken this short, smug and weak man down within a matter of seconds but he didn't only for Kennedy's sake. This man opened up his home and provided assistance to her alone so he tried his best to cooperate. However, this restraint was hanging on a very thin thread.

"You killed my parents," Stark said lowly. The soldier couldn't help but flinch at the dead sound of it; the finality. Guilt slowly crept up on him in form of goosebumps, similar to those he experienced when he was taken out of cryo freeze. Shame shook through him as he couldn't even recall who he murdered, even though someone would have considered it a blessing not knowing who he hurt. This man before him was going to make him pay, and he wondered if he would let him. Redemption was overrated and something close to a fantasy with regards to what he had done over the past 70 years. Stark said nothing else, staring at him with a chilling silence and suspense. Finally he spoke up.

"One day you will answer for what you did to my family. Don't forget that. Brainwashed or not, it doesn't change a thing, understand? I'm letting you breathe because of the girl sleeping in the other room. I think we can agree that she's a good kid. She needs you and she keeps you in check. But if you slip up once, it's bye-bye Robocop. We clear?"

The soldier admired his courage. This man knew he could kill him but it didn't stop him from establishing a rocky truce and its boundaries. He stiffly nodded and turned on his heel, stalking towards his room.

Banner observed how tired Kennedy was since she literally dropped on her bed and immediately fell asleep. The energy outputs were being monitored on thermal imaging as well as brain waves and heart rates. Her levels spiked out of the blue frequently and her heartbeat was slightly irregular but nothing to immensely worry about. His attention moved towards a mobile that she put on her desk, as it fell off the surface and onto the floor. Banner scribbled down notes on his tablet. So her inability to sleep peacefully was manifesting itself in moving objects; she couldn't control it. He above all people knew what it was like. When he and Tony were speaking with her earlier, at the brief mention of her ability she seemed a bit...ashamed. He didn't want her to end up like him; after all she was a brilliant girl and Tony even mentioned that she could be their love child because of how charismatic she was. Banner wanted to help her; in order to prevent being another time bomb, another Hulk. He would help her in any way he could. She reminded him of himself right after his accident; finding her a kindred spirit.

The soldier stared at the door as if it were the most menacing and malevolent force he had ever come across. The softness of the bed, the rhythmic ticking of the clock and overall peace of the room juxtaposed with the instability and unsettled jitters of his mind and body. Sleep was officially nonexistent for him, not knowing if Kennedy was really safe. Steve gave him his word but he stubbornly believed that threats were everywhere. He wished she were here with him, remembering the late night coversations about mundane things, extraordinary science, always ending with a reassurance from each other that they would keep the other safe from harm. He glanced at the empty space next to him and huffed. How dare they separate them?

Unknown to him, Kennedy woke up at 3 in the morning, not being able to fall back to sleep. Grumpy's absense made her feel out of her element, strange and incomplete. So much time in each other's constant presence made them accustomed to it. Being alone was odd. She shook her head, 'screw it.' She threw on a sweater she found in the closet, still haven't met Ms. Potts yet to thank her for her generosity and crossed the hallway into Grumpy's room. She didn't bother to knock since she knew he was still up. She could feel his eyes on her as she went to the other side of the bed and flopped down next to him unceremoniously. His head was turned to her in relief as well as curiosity.

"What is it?" He asked her.

"I could ask you the same thing," she yawned. The soldier saw that his anxiety due to her absence was painfully obvious.

"I can't sleep without you," he admitted quietly. He closed his eyes briefly and opened them when he heard her chuckle softly.

"Me either," she sighed. She felt very odd suddenly with Grumpy beside her. This little moment suddenly became more intimate with their declarations. Her heartbeat increased slightly and she admitted to herself that, yes, she had a tiny crush on Grumpy. He was like no one she ever had the pleasure of knowing, her pain was his pain and they adored each other. But she deemed her attraction to him as inconsequential. It definitely was not the time. So for the time being, she decided to be herself.

"What about the test?" he asked. Honestly, damn the test, he thought bitterly. As if reading his mind, she scoffed, saying…

"Screw it. Tomorrow."

"I'm bored. Want to play a game?" she asked him randomly after a few moments. Her head was turned to him and she got butterflies in her stomach at the childlike and innocent expression he conveyed. He was not acclimatized to leisure activities but slowly and surely he was becoming human again. His inclination to try and encounter new things made him stand out from others. She admired that about him as guys these days lacked that trait, only settling for what they could come by, by chance.

She rolled onto her stomach and pulled out a deck of cards that she found in her room. Grumpy was on his side as he watched her take out the cards and shuffle it expertly. She smiled at him.

"I'm not usually the optimist, Grumpy, but I think we'll be alright," she said in a pleasant tone. The soldier surveyed her and concluded that as long as they were together, they would be.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Next week's chapter is gonna be HUGEEEEEEEEE! In the meantime, enjoy this one :)**

Kennedy felt herself sprawled out on a smooth and comfortable surface that seemed to perfectly accommodate the contours of her body. She sighed and clung on to this thing like it was sent from God. Never before, did she have the perfect night's sleep, no nightmares, and no dreams at all, just the sound of breathing; hers and...

Her eyes fluttered open and her heart picked up in slight horror and embarrassment. She didn't dare move, seeing as she was basically sleeping on top of Grumpy, who seemed just as content with their position as his metal arm kept her securely to him. His eyes were closed peacefully, no sign of waking. Kennedy tried to manoeuvre herself out of his grasp, only to wind his human arm around her to prevent her escape. She held back a laugh. She tried again but this time, she inwardly swore as he started to stir. His eyes opened groggily and found hers instantaneously.

"Sorry, Grumpy. I tend to sprawl out when I'm sleeping," she apologised and moved to get off of him but his arm kept her down.

"No. It's ok," he replied with an unreadable expression on his face. She looked slightly confused but her head sank back down onto his bare chest. She didn't even remember him removing his shirt even though he did it every night. They held each other's gaze curiously, both of them wondering what to do next. Why wouldn't Grumpy let her go? The giddy little girl inside her was excited but she remained absolutely still. She pushed down the urge to kiss him, thinking that it would complicate things. She didn't believe that he even knew what it was, but this morning was a bit...unsettling. What did he want to do? Her mobile buzzed and broke them out of their intense staring contest. Thank God, she thought, before she did something stupid. She sat up and read Tesla's update.

"Uploaded into Stark's system. Met a friend. Her name is Friday," the screen read. Aw, she thought fondly. Tesla met Tony's A.I. She hoped that wasn't a problem.

She looked at Grumpy who was still lying on the bed and staring blankly at the ceiling. She felt bad all of a sudden. Was he bummed that she didn't do anything or said anything? Was he waiting for her to do anything? She wasn't the most open person in the world and one of her flaws was that under the confident bravado, she was like any other girl, vulnerable, insecure at times. She flirted with Grumpy in the past when he didn't know what her references meant and that was when she was sure that HYDRA would keep her locked up forever. Certain death made her braver. But now that they were free to live and survive, she wasn't sure how to process things. Her feelings and thoughts at the moment were a jumbled mess. She plopped down next to him and nudged him playfully with her elbow.

"I don't think I've ever cooked for you before. Let's get some breakfast," she suggested. He turned to look at her, his expression somewhat comical.

"Don't look at me like that. I have to eat too, you know," she laughed and held out her hand to help him up. His lips quirked up at the side and he stood up with her, putting on his white T-shirt. Unfortunately, she added to herself.

The soldier trailed behind her as they went to the Avenger's main floor beneath theirs. He wanted to kick himself for making her feel uncomfortable but just moments ago, he couldn't help himself. He **wanted** to touch her; time and time again he didn't believe that she was a real human being, needing to prove it to himself. Someone so small but so significant. The feeling of her against him, the way she looked at him, her head against his chest hearing his racing heart, crossed a boundary that he didn't mind crossing.

Stepping into the kitchen, they were grateful that they had the place to themselves, no need for extra awkward re-introductions and explanations. However, they were met with certain irony.

"Elf! Would you mind explaining yourself?" Tony demanded, waltzing into their kitchen space where Kennedy froze in the middle of cracking an egg. The soldier didn't like the man's tone. Not. One. Bit. He clenched the counter top as he approached Kennedy.

"What?" She asked, shrugging innocently.

"Firstly, it's either we've been hacked by another system or you've built yourself an A.I who followed you into the tower."

"His name is Tesla." She said it like it was the most normal thing in the world. Tony's jaw went slack and Kennedy reached over to clamp his mouth shut.

"Come again?" He asked, clearly thinking that she was mistaken.

"It was part of the PROJECT INSIGHT fiasco. They needed an advanced system to find targets so I built and reprogrammed Tesla without them knowing. "

"A 20 year old cannot create an A.I from scratch. It can't be done."

"Tes, you want to say hello?" Kennedy went back to whisking the eggs with a bit of milk.

"Good morning...Tony Stark," Tesla clipped politely. Tony stared at the ceiling in contemplation.

"Well played, elf, well played," he finally spoke, "he better not mess up any of Friday's data."

"Friday is…my new friend. No data…compromised."

"While I'm mildly, stressing the mildly, impressed by your feats, I also want to know why hadn't you slept alone last night?" She was hoping that it wasn't a big deal but apparently it was.

"I'm sorry but we've just spent months on the run, okay? It's not exactly fair to separate us without some kind of warning," she replied in annoyance.

"You guys are a few metres away from each other! It's not like you're going to lie down and die."

"You haven't been through what we've been through." The statement created a slight pang in Tony's chest as she cast her eyes downward, evidently uncomfortable. The two of them meant the world to each other; Bruce pointing out the night before that separating them was going to be tricky.

"You'll tell us all about it whenever you're ready?" he asked with a softer edge in his voice this time.

"The sooner the better chance we have at taking down those bastards," she replied. Tony smirked.

"I'm really starting to like you, elf."

Tony relaxed a bit and cast a quick but deadly glance at the soldier who watched the exchange, devoid of emotion. He exited the room; his shoulders pensive, all sarcasm and trademark swagger gone. Kennedy sighed and shook her head.

"Don't let him get to you, Grumpy. He and the others don't understand. Well, except for Steve anyway. Did you two talk last night?" she asked him as she put the mixture into the frying pan.

"Yes," he replied quietly, "he said he could help me." Kennedy looked back and smiled at him proudly. She knew that getting through to Grumpy was like pulling on teeth and success meant that the opposing part was nudged out of the door. She set the eggs aside, turned off the stove and made her way over to him. She put an appreciative hand on his shoulder.

"I'm proud of you, Grumpy. I know it wasn't exactly a walk in the park for you," she told him, squeezing comfortingly. Grumpy instinctively covered her hand with his large metal one, applying minimum pressure. She lightly patted his cheek and returned to completing their breakfast. Thankfully, bacon, toast and beans were stocked in the fridge and pantry.

The soldier watched her curiously as she flitted about the kitchen, humming and throwing ingredients together expertly. He had no idea what she was making, but it made his mouth water. Months on the run with crap food twice a day with granola bars in between did that to a person. Finally she finished, dished out the masterpiece and gave him his plate.

"Full English breakfast as promised. Don't forget to put the beans on the toast," she sighed happily and took a seat beside him. Kennedy wanted to laugh the entire time as they both ate messily like pigs, clearly ravenous from the previous days, having no shame at all. She was quite proud of herself as Grumpy scarfed down **everything,** even the crumbs on his plate. She secretly timed it at 4 minutes, while she didn't even reach her bacon. He sat there watching her and she laughed.

"That's not fair. Now you have to watch me eat like a dog," she chuckled. He allowed a tiny smile to form and her heart skipped. His smiles took effort, knowing all that he had been through and the fact that he reserved them for only her was somewhat elating. Then, she dared to look away awkwardly and took a last bite of her beans and toast before hopping off of her seat.

"Time to tell all, Grumpy. Let's go," she said half-heartedly as the two left the room.

"Alright Avengers, assemble! Hey, that sounds pretty cool," Tony announced, "Houdini won't be joining us since he's going over Khalessi's first night of the psych test."

"I thought her name was Elf?" Hawkeye asked curiously.

"I saw Game of Thrones last night. It couldn't be helped." Kennedy and Barnes took their respective place on the couch while the colourful individuals around them prepared to listen to the accounts of the past several months.

Steve, who sat on the arm chair nearest to the sofa, looked on sympathetically as Bucky was fidgeting at the group's close proximity and observant attitudes…like scientists which no doubt sparked unpleasant memories of HYDRA's methods. So, he got up and moved more to the back and his friend flashed him an appreciative look.

"Go ahead, elf. We're all ears," Tony gestured for her to have the floor. She let out a breath and nodded.

"It was a few months ago. It was about my second year in Pentonville and one day in February, this group of men came to my cell. They told me that I had to go with them and after my attempts at asking questions I eventually gave up. We just strolled out of one of the most secure prisons in the world. The guards didn't even acknowledge us, probably paid off. Next thing I know, I'm on a private jet to America, then blindfolded and taken to the HYDRA base. Pierce came to see me after some hours by myself in a cell and told me that I was going to save the world," she launched into her experience and she saw Grumpy and Steve visibly tense at the mention of the creeper. But, she didn't stop there.

"They wanted me to create a machine that was impossible to detect and could predict future threats. They wanted an incredibly advanced system for their PROJECT KILL ALL HUMANITY. The only way to achieve that was to build a very powerful A.I. I took to creating him from a power source that fostered its own form of consciousness; some rock from space which I will get to later. So, I built Tesla from scrap metal and some algorithms.

"Grumpy came in on my second day. Pierce assigned him to protect me and be with me at all times. I thought it was odd and a bit annoying at first since I had guards around the clock. I was in a building of spies for God's sake but whatever. I know he didn't like it either but I guess you could say we grew on each other." She paused to give him a small but fond smile which he returned. Steve appreciated the exchange, wishing that he could tease his friend.

"Grumpy had to take me on missions to get certain materials for the project. However, I didn't tell anyone, not even him until recently, that I was planning to destroy the project the entire time. HYDRA was stupid enough to believe that Tesla wouldn't help me and that they could trace any sign of resistance. Bloody idiots. They thought I was good, but they didn't know **how** good. Tesla's the only reason I got the failsafe to Steve and Maria. Oh Grumpy, remind me that I have to give her a call later. Anyway, what I didn't know was that Grumpy had a master plan of his own. I taught him rather well. He was planning to take me and run after the day. So we did and here we are.

"While we originally planned to stay from away from you people, my….condition started to get worse. So we tracked Stephen Strange for months and found him here." The Avengers let her story sink in, the Winter Soldier's expression definitely clarifying it; darkening, saddening, neutral. The silence was broken by a curious Romanoff who lurked in the back.

"What condition?" she asked folding her arms across her chest. Kennedy shifted uncomfortably under the red-haired Russian's scrutiny.

"Telekinesis, as far as I know. I can't control it. I was hoping Dr. Strange could help me, knowing his expertise in neuroscience and parts of the brain that control it."

"Like Wanda," Tony pointed out mostly to himself, but she heard.

"There are others out there? Like me?" she asked incredulously.

"Honey, in the world we live in, it would be crazy to think that you are the only one. Twins joined us last month; brother and sister. Wanda's got the same juice as you, which is a funny...coincidence." The curious look on Tony's face showed that he was contemplating, calculating something over the last statement. Bruce eyed him, seeing the gears turning in his head.

"Is there anything else?" Steve asked. Bucky's eyes snapped to Kennedy immediately when he said that, his eyes trying to keep his cool. He knew Kennedy had to tell them.

"Me and Grumpy being together…it wasn't about protecting me so I could finish PROJECT INSIGHT. It was all about…Grumpy. Us being together was a psychological…experiment to make him a better soldier." Her voice cracked slightly but she coughed.

"What do you mean better?"

"It meant…" Everyone looked shocked that Barnes decided to speak up. However macho and badass they were, they couldn't help the shiver travel down their spines at the sound of his voice. It was dead, icy and animal-like; like a beast ready to pounce on anything that moved which the Avengers didn't dare to attempt.

"…that they were going to take her away from me. My humanity….gone." Nobody spoke for several minutes, fearing to upset the brooding soldier even more. Steve desperately wanted to say something, do anything but he couldn't. Kennedy was the only one who could touch him. She slowly uncurled his clenched fist and lightly traced his calloused palm with her fingers. He let her without hesitation; Steve seeing that she was in fact the main anchor in his world.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: You're welcome ;)**

"Thankfully, Tesla provided us with some leftovers as to HYDRA's remaining bases and experiments so don't get too comfortable this week. Expect us to suit up within a few days," Tony told the group as they dispersed. In the midst of roaming bodies filing into the hallway, Stephen Strange ignored them and rudely nudged his way through, his eyes and undivided attention paid to the tablet in his hands. He stopped right in front of Tony who looked up at him expectantly.

"What'd you got Houdini?" he asked crossing his arms.

"Miss Walsh's test was not a failure as we thought," he stated in a calculating tone, "I was able to collect data from her first (and only) 3 hours and compared them to the remaining 6 hours. Look at her thermal state." He held out the tablet for Stark to take. The images on the screen showed a multi-coloured formatted chart which documented the previous night's test; the first 3 hours showing bright red, yellow and orange heat completely taking over Kennedy's body as she tossed and turned; the highly concentrated area was obviously her cerebral cortex. The image then switched to the longer sequence where her body, now in a blue and green light barely pulsed and rested peacefully beside a sleeping soldier. Her brain did not emit any form of energy.

"With Barnes, her energy levels are obviously as toned down. During their time together, I assume she only lost control under really pressing circumstances. He seems to be her constant where her abilities are able to be repressed."

"We should make her sleep alone for a few more days just to be sure. Are you working on what I asked you to?" Tony replied. Strange nodded silently, not wanting to alert Kennedy and Barnes, who were speaking with Steve on the sofa; well Kennedy did most of the talking of course.

"I am comparing her blood work with Ms. Maximoff's as we speak," he whispered.

….

"I was thinking that maybe we could take a trip to Brooklyn. You know, see the old buildings? I think your old apartment building is still there," Steve suggested carefully, hoping not to overwhelm Bucky with his ideas. Bucky looked to the side, his eyes hesitant and searching. Steve's heart sank a bit; his hope in bonding with his friend dwindling. Of course he wouldn't want to go outside after all those months hiding.

The soldier contemplated Steve's suggestion with great difficulty. What good would it do him? Would that makes things better or worse? He was very dubious about the suggestion but couldn't seem to push down his curiosity. He looked over at Kennedy for help who was staring at the city view through the window. As if sensing something was wrong, she met his eyes.

"Would…you come with me and Steve to Brooklyn?" he asked with a pleading look. He honestly didn't want to go through it alone, despite Steve's presence. Kennedy gave him one of those soft and understanding smiles that made his heart pound faster.

"If that's what you want, Grumps. You got it," she replied smiling, looking to Steve for clarification. He nodded with a grateful smirk.

"Good. We can go when you're ready," he replied.

...

Later that afternoon, they embarked on the treacherous journey that was walking through New York City. In disguise of course. The soldier was inevitably on edge, trying not to reflexively twist the arms of those who brushed past him. Kennedy was the only reason he was keeping it together. She hooked her arm through his innocently as they strolled around with Steve pointing to various sights. She had never been to New York before, while he vaguely recalled certain locations from his memories. She looked around in awe like a child in a candy store, which was a nice, and much needed change from her usual tense demeanour while on the run.

She frequently sensed his stress when people got too close and moved her hand up and down his arm soothingly. He gave her a soft smile and genuinely attempted to pay attention to buildings as they went deeper into the district of Brooklyn. He found the modern art graffiti tasteless and confusing but Kennedy ran her hand along the walls, feeling the fusion of colours, etched onto the concrete, eternally in protest, love and other forms of expression. The satire and hidden messages were contrarily beautiful to her, as opposed to Grumpy's view of them.

A neighbourhood was composed of claustrophobic brown, red and grey houses, all joined together in a continuous block of monotony. Its dull and unsurprising appearance was exactly what struck the soldier the most. He stopped in his tracks, bringing Kennedy to a startling halt with her arm still trapped in the crook of his own. Steve sensed his friends' absence behind him and turned around curiously. The look on Bucky's face said it all and immediately filled him with hope.

"What is it, Buck?" he asked. Bucky said nothing at first, his lips forming incoherent words. Kennedy watched him worriedly but calmly. She didn't dare to say anything, seeing that he was trying to remember.

"You-you're mother….used to take us for walks along the block. She did that when we had rough days at school," he answered slowly at first, but then finished with confidence in his newfound memory. Steve gaped at him, not believing what he was hearing. So his mind wasn't completely gone as he had feared? This was the best news he had received in weeks. He nodded with a smile forming on his face.

"That's right. She always said fresh air would do us good," he replied softly, his head dipping slightly in respect at the mention of his mom. She was his best friend, so kind and willing to sacrifice everything for his happiness. He missed her dearly.

They continued walking and doubled back to stop off at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It was a nice area, not too noisy with minimal hyper-active children for which Kennedy was grateful. Kids weren't normally her forte. They stopped to rest a bit by a bench, just enjoying the breeze and the sky and peace, for now. Steve conversed with Kennedy, about her home, making other forms of small talk while Bucky sat quietly, enjoying nature and what it had to visually offer in contradiction to his life among four grey walls.

The soldier then observed couples roaming, holding hands, even kissing. Absentmindedly and going unnoticed by Kennedy and Steve, he briefly touched his lips, curiously wondering what the sensation must have felt like. After their intimate moment, the man and woman pulled away and the latter smiled up at her partner like he was the only thing that existed. The soldier found himself longing to be looked at like that and the petite whited haired genius who sat closely beside him was the only face that dominated his thoughts.

...

Back at the Tower, the Avengers and their guests were able to breathe with no talk of tests and HYDRA for a while. Steve and the soldier sat in a corner, getting past their awkward stage and into a more comfortable zone. The soldier surprisingly conversed with his 'friend?' about trivial things he remembered, such as the distinct smell of cherry pie and vanilla, which happened to be Steve's mother's cooking. Apparently he spent much time there rather than his own house. His eyes strayed from Steve and landed on Kennedy, who was across the room throwing her head back in laughter at something Tony Stark said. His heart sped up when she met his eyes and smiled wider. He gently smiled in return, unaware of Steve's smug expression. He failed to hold in a chuckle and Bucky's head immediately turned to him.

"You've got it bad," Steve finally teased while his friend looked at him, confused.

"Come on. You like her, Buck." The soldier still didn't fully understand until Steve clarified, "…romantically." That phrase made him slightly jump. He was a soldier, a machine. He didn't feel that way, he wasn't supposed to. She was his mission; his special mission, his friend, his…

He couldn't help but pick up on those lingering feelings in his mind. The way she made him feel human, the jokes she made, the things she taught him, how beautiful he found her, always wanting to please her and make her happy. The protectiveness and calm he always felt around her; she didn't make his mind seem so loud and disjointed. Then he thought of this morning and their afternoon in Brooklyn. He questioned why he felt the way he did, why he pictured them intimately touching…kissing, forgetting for a fleeting moment that they had been to hell and back because of HYDRA and coming out actually feeling anything at all. He couldn't possibly imagine that the never-ending cycle of being frozen and defrosting would be broken by this…white haired miracle of a young girl. A girl who changed him forever… Looking around at the Avengers and who they were to each other; friends and comrades, which quite frankly didn't fit in his view of her.

"But...I don't think she wants me...not the way I …want her," he admitted with difficulty.

"Only one way to find out," Steve told him encouragingly.

...

After a day of relaxing and lazing around, everyone dispersed to retire to their respective rooms. The soldier and Kennedy had to go back to sleeping on their own for a few more nights.

"That was a nice walk today wasn't it, Grumpy?" Kennedy chattered away as they walked into the hallway. She said something else but he zoned out. His mind kept drifting to the talk he had with Steve, the experiences he had with her that built up these terrifying and complicated emotions within him.

 _'_ _One way to find out…' Steve's voice echoed._

That same evening he remarkably got the courage to ask something of her, trying not to think of rejection and embarrassment. He needed to do this, he thought. He needed to know. He gulped and he walked behind her, coming to an abrupt halt. He was sure that she heard his heart pounding like a stampede. She realised that he wasn't following her and turned around in a slight confusion.

You alright Grumpy?" She asked. He didn't answer but looked down at the ground embarrassed and stumped in forming a reply. She walked up to him and lifted his hair out of his eyes.

"What's wrong? Tell me."

"Could you...do something...for me?" he managed to get out in a low and hesitant voice.

"Of course. What is it?"

"Would you...kiss...me?" The question took her aback and he saw that it was a point of no return, "I don't know what it feels like. If I do, I can't remember. You're the only person I trust to..." His hesitation dwindled at the sight of shy smile appearing on her face and a blush rising to her cheeks. She looked like she was thinking about his request a great deal, as if questioning whether it was right or wrong. She chuckled to herself, "Screw it."

"Ok, close your eyes," she instructed him. He looked uncertain.

"Do it," she laughed and his eyes shut on command. He felt her come closer to him and he inwardly panicked when he felt her soft and gentle hands on his face. She tiptoed to get a better angle and paused.

"Don't freak out," she whispered to him, her eyes moving from his closed eyes to his lips. Her breath shakily fanning over his face. What came next was nothing he experienced before. He felt a soft and pleasurable pressure against his lips, gentle and calm and amazing. His lips parted in surprise, wanting and needing more but Kennedy sank back on her heels. Their eyes were now open and drinking each other in, shy and contemplating. A little more confident than before, he lightly took her by the waist to pull her back to him. He dipped his head and initiated another kiss, pulling back slightly as if asking permission for another one. She smiled slightly dazed and he kissed her again. And again. What was shy and new in the beginning took a deeper turn as he held her almost off of the ground, her hands in his hair and their breathing quickening as their lips move against each other. She put a hand on his chest so they could breathe. She chuckled nervously (if there were such a thing) and pecked him a last time. He reluctantly released her, putting her back on her feet, his metal hand skimming her arm as if he just couldn't stop himself from touching her. As if, 'did this really just happen?'

"I'll see you in the morning, Grumpy," she whispered and made her way back to her room. The soldier did not move and touched his lips a second time, in astonishment and for the first time in his life, complete and utter joy.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: 100 REVIEWS! BOOYAH! WE DID IT! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH :) I'm also glad I killed you guys with feels last week haha. Get ready for more!**

As expected, the soldier did not sleep a wink and he suspected, neither did she. His lips were tingling and his senses were going haywire; his damaged mind no longer attempted to piece together memories. Instead, one scene just replayed over and over again; the feeling of her lips against his, her hands in his hair, the very feeling of the two of them against each other made his thoughts race exponentially.

The next morning, however, things were different in the best way possible. He came out to find her making breakfast for the two of them in that big white t-shirt and a messy bun as she always wore them. This was another morning ritual when everyone else was asleep. Normally, he would watch her but; he wanted to help her this time. He always tried to but she wouldn't let him. It was not just because he wanted to do something nice with her but it was also an excuse to be closer to her. He was not clingy or hovering, just asking her if they were that good kind of different or change.

She smiled up at him as she whisked two eggs together and he reached over to take four pieces of toast out of the break box on the other end of the counter. Both going for the knife, they're hands met. Their initial reactions would have been to mumble an apology or awkwardly offer the other to go first but their hands curiously but surely curled into each other, securely and gently. This was his way of asking: may I be something more to you? She held his gaze for a minute and slid her body between him and the counter slowly and she was right up against him. He gulped as she held his gaze curiously; his eyes roaming over little curve of her lips, the mischievous glint in her green eyes. He didn't deny that she had him in the palm of her hand, at her beck and call. She cupped his cheek and brought his face down to meet hers; a gentle and sensual kiss, a reassurance that, yes, he may. He blushed profusely, smiled and nodded.

"Get back to work," she chuckled and they continued to make their morning ritual, together.

Kennedy couldn't possibly remember being this at ease and happy as she snuck quick glances at Grumpy working with her at the kitchen counter. She had reservations in the beginning, yes, because of her unfortunate history with men and her semi awkward ways of figuring out emotions, but being with Grumpy this way felt so…right? Even with Andrew (the asshole), she didn't feel whole. Now she did, just like that, like magic; as if it was meant to be, despite how cliché it sounded. Another part of her shouted for joy: ABOUT FREAKING TIME! However, she knew she had to take it slow, figure out a few things, test the waters a bit; but going through with this change of relationship nonetheless. It made no sense denying their feelings now; especially after the innocent request for a kiss and the best one she ever experienced in her life. She smiled at the memory of last night; she knew instantly that Grumpy was a keeper.

….

"This mission entails destroying last of HYDRA's underground bases. These particular establishments consist of experiments on humans and new weapons. Once these are gone, HYDRA will be erased from the map permanently. Nowhere left to go. The bad news, we have to blow them up one at a time, the good news is that since they are closely linked in personnel, communication and power, damage to one, equals damage to another. It will leave them scrambling. Thor's gone to attend some business in Asgard. But we have our team, Capsicle, Robocop, Widow, Hawkeye and Moi," Tony explained thoroughly. Kennedy perked up.

"Bullocks! What about me? You're going to need the best hacker here," she argued.

"Tempting, yes. But you're not in full control yet. I talked this over with your Pitbull already and we compromised to have Banner stay behind with you. He will help you with your powers in the meantime and you can help us from here if need be. Capiche?"

"You bloody self-righteous Americans. I miss England," she muttered folding her arms. The soldier sighed; he knew she wouldn't like this. She started to feel claustrophobic again like before.

"I heard that, elf. Drop it. You and Banner could bond so stop complaining," Tony pointed his finger at her as if disciplining his daughter, "Alright. Let's boogie!" The team was dismissed and everyone went their separate ways to suit up, Romanoff brushing past Kennedy and Banner, casting a sparing glance at the latter. Awkward, Kennedy pointed out. By the time they had to move out, the soldier knelt in front of her, still pissed on the couch. Her eyes softened when they saw him.

"You come back to me, you hear? Or else I'll resurrect you only to kill you again," she mumbled. His forehead touched hers and he gave a crocked smile.

"Always," he whispered and kissed her head. He leaned his forehead against hers and just listened to the sound of their breathing. He didn't want to leave whatsoever. But this was something he had to do for both of them, for her; to make those bastards pay. He vowed to return to her through every touch, every caress he gave her. His metal fingers brushed her arm up and down, memorising every cell, all contours of their smoothness. She was his motivation, to keep fighting no matter what. His head dropped to the middle of her throat where he placed another quick and gentle kiss.

Kennedy held his head, closing her eyes. Grumpy leaving to go on a mission was completely different this time, now that they've embarked on new frontier in their relationship. Realisation dawned upon her that they had more to lose than ever before. Their vulnerability was like an exposed nerve, waiting to be targeted and severed by their enemies. And they've only just kissed. But at the same time, it wasn't just a kiss. It was a promise. It was so much more than what it was and it spoke a million words. As happy as she was at the moment, she despised the amplified worry, the anxiety. It was worse than ever now.

However, she refused to let negative thoughts surround her. It wasn't like he was going off to fight the Germans again but at the same time, it **was** war. He needed to come back. Her fingers worked their way through his hair, giving him a small comfort. He will come back, she told herself. She wasn't good at whispering sweet nothings, affection and so forth. So all she said was…

"Come back, yeah?" He nodded gently against her throat.

They embraced each other for several moments and she slipped her mobile into the pocket of his cargo pants.

"Take Tes with you. Keep him safe, T" she said.

"You got it, Ken," Tesla replied with a twinge of swagger in his voice. Yes, she was teaching him to blend in more. The soldier pecked her again and stood up to follow Rogers out of the door. She and Banner were left alone.

"Do you want some pot stickers?" She asked suddenly, getting up from her seat. She needed to distract herself, work her ass off. She needed to ramble, do something.

"Sorry?" He asked at the drastic start in conversation.

"I dote on ethnic foods when I'm about to work or do something wicked with science. Would you like some?"

"Um...sure." She smirked slightly and went to the kitchen.

Their initially awkward conversation smoothed out into comfortable interactions with a pleasant portion of dumplings and attempts (on his part) at using chopsticks. 'What is so hard about them?' she asked herself.

"People warned me about you," Bruce surprisingly broke the silence, looking at her curiously.

"Do tell. I'd love to hear this," she laughed and leaned forward attentively with her hands clasped under her chin.

"They said you're a genius which is undoubtedly true. They tell me you're the female Sherlock Holmes, well ethics wise."

"Ha! That's brilliant!"

"They warned me about your weird habits too."

"May I ask from where these enlightening references came? I'll try not to hack their accounts."

"Marlena Lewis, Cambridge."

"Ugh! Ghastly bitch. She hates me because I proved her theory on space travel invalid. Not worth my time. But I have to admit that I'm curious. What is **your** impression of me?" Bruce looked uncomfortable and pondered for a few minutes.

"You're like Tony. And if someone like me can tolerate him, I think you and I will get along just fine."

"Good answer. Permit me another question?"

"Uh…sure."

"What's going on between you and Mother Russia?" Bruce's jaw went kind of slack and he stopped chewing altogether. Kennedy watched him with a polite but knowing expression.

"A few months ago I screwed up. That's all." He surprised himself by even answering and tried to busy himself with the pattern of the wooden table.

"You left her. If she left you, she wouldn't have looked at you like that. You didn't cheat, you're not the type. Process of elimination shows that you left her and the obvious reason being that you're the Hulk." The way she said it was not condescending or judgmental in any way whatsoever. It was factual. Anyone else would have had to answer to him (the Other Guy), however, she stated it in the most innocent way. He was pleased to know that the big guy was cool with her as well.

"You're good." He complimented her observational skills.

"I know." She winked and put the last pot sticker in her mouth, "Now, enough with the lonely hearts club. Let's go science the shit out of things, shall we? Tony will regret leaving us behind." He couldn't help but smile at the young girl. Yes, they would get along just fine.

….

The soldier was posted around the second floor hallway on the north-west side, while Steve and Stark took the south, Romanoff and Hawkeye the north. He wanted to work alone, the familiar crowded grey walls setting him on edge. Each corner held a story, all of them resulting in suffering. He remembered his screams, his pain, Kennedy's panic attacks, the feeling of being trapped and bated like beasts for the sake of a cruel experiment. If anyone were still alive and cowering in this building, he would seek pleasure in silencing them. A small, calm voice in the back of his mind urged him not to think about those things, but he quickly shoved it off. He needed to do this; his new mission was to avenge himself and Kennedy, to ensure their safety.

The cameras and fluorescent lights were disabled as he surveyed the deafeningly silent hallway. Several doors came into sight and he kicked each down with brute force, pointing his rifle for anything that dared to move. It all looked clear until he came to the last door, tucked away in a corner. He broke it in half with his kick and searched the room, attaching a flashlight to his gun. The alarmingly bright spotlight moved smoothly along the walls and floor, picking up on strewn pieces of paper and several destroyed circuit boards from shattered desktops. He stiffly turned to exit, not seeing any threats present but halted when his sharp ears picked up on a soft bump. He turned around slowly and looked at where it came from; the floor. He kneeled down and ran his gloved metal hand on the tiled floor. His metal arm had its perks as he could have picked up the slightest vibrations. Another one, very faint and easily missable resonated on his hand. Not missable to him. He then felt along the creases of the tiles and hit the jackpot; a loose tile. He ripped it off and pointed his gun down into a carved out hole that held several terrified faces.

"Out," he growled. The people crawled out and he gripped his gun tighter when they revealed themselves to be lab coats; the same that tortured him and Kennedy. He took a moment to think and started to raise his radio to his mouth to alert the team but stopped when he took in an object in one of the doctor's arms. It was a file. He immediately grabbed it from the trembling bald man and read through its contents, only to make his blood run cold. Kennedy's mug shot stood out, along with information about her abilities and blood test results. One sentence made him snap entirely: CLASS 5, DANGEROUS- UTILISATION ESSENTIAL. His hands crumbled the paper and he shot the doctors the deadliest and emptiest look that made one in the back whimper pathetically. He turned around and locked the door. Those people were violently silenced and the team would never know. However, Tesla saw and heard the whole thing.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: mwahahaahaha!**

Steve and Tony searched all of the mouldy, dusty rooms without obstacles. The base was completely abandoned, no living soul present except for the occasional draft or low whistling of wind bouncing off the grey walls. After scanning every inch of their side of the building, they came across the main/control room. They broke down the door; weapons automatically at the ready, but were greeted by ringing silence once again. Steve's hand brushed along the wall to find a power switch of some kind, hitting what seemed to be a button. The room buzzed to life, lights painfully entering their eyes, which widened when they beheld the massive metallic structure before them.

"Stark? What in God's name is that?" Steve asked in a daze.

"That, Capsicle, is Tesla's mainframe," Stark answered with a smirk on his face, "I love that elf."

"She built this? That's…"

"I know."

"Wait, how did you know what it looked like?"

"She described it to me before we left. We couldn't miss that," he pointed to the glowing green rock at the centre of the power hub. They moved forward until they were right in front of it, completely transfixed.

"Why didn't HYDRA take it with them if it was so important?"

"Good question. Tesla probably had a security protocol that they couldn't break through. I guess they had to leave it."

"What do we do with it?"

"Nothing." Steve's head whipped around in alarm as Stark typed something into his cybertronic arm and then into the pad above the glowing rock.

"Thank you…Tony Stark…" Tesla's mixed up voice echoed throughout the room, "perfectly…safe…."

"We can't leave something so dangerous here!" Steve protested.

"Hey, give the elf some more credit. She built it to be impenetrable and that's how it will remain. It's safe here." Steve didn't like it, trying to put the thoughts of another judgement day out of his mind. What if this happened again? What if HYDRA was cooking up another way to recreate their genocidal plan? He stiffly shook his head and sighed.

"Let's just get the remaining files and head back to the tower," he grunted at Tony's laid back attitude and opened up one of the black duffle bags they brought with them.

"Grouch," Tony muttered to himself. The two then proceeded to clean out every inch of the room, every filing cabinet, every drawer and every computer's hard drive. Tony looked curiously at a flash drive and inserted it into one of the compartments of his suit. Friday immediately got to work, scanning it for anything of significance. An alert popped up on the screen, blaring red.

"FILES REGARDING KENNEDY WALSH, SIR, DIFFICULT TO OPEN". Tony made no move telling Steve; better to keep it to himself for a while.

…..

The soldier eventually found a bathroom and furiously washed the blood from his hands, face and combative gear. His chest heaved erratically, as he scraped and scrubbed at skin that was free from blood minutes ago. The now blood-stained file he had acquired was tucked safely in his jacket, taunting him and encouraging him to…NO, he shook his head; and didn't realise that his nails were now clawing at the palm of his hand, turning it red in discomfort and eventually hot pain. No one could know; especially not Kennedy! He didn't want to keep anything from her, but it's for her own good; he had to keep her safe.

What he did to those people….no one could know. He had to do it for Kennedy, he couldn't let them get to her. It was all going to end once and for all. But his excuses were shadowed by his self-loathing, hate and guilt. What would she think of him? Steve? They would think he was a brute and that HYDRA would have won in creating a mindless machine. But they tried to take everything from him; not anymore. He had to do it. He had to. He looked at his reflection, seeing how his eyes were wild and unfocused, his jaw clenched. He breathed deeply, picturing Kennedy breathing with him, the feeling of her soft hand gripping his in comfort... His heaving slowed as he pulled himself together in order to join the others. He stiffened and marched out of the bathroom, ignoring the nagging in his mind as he passed the room in which he left those bodies to rot.

It wasn't long until he met up with the team, who efficiently cleared out the main room. Steve, carrying two duffle bags with ease, looked at him worriedly.

"Buck? You good?" he questioned.

"I'm fine. Let's go," the soldier grunted. He just wanted to go home to her.

…..

"Alright, let's try it; ready old man?" Kennedy called from the other side of the training room. She pointed the medium-sized, charcoal coloured rod at the unfortunate target on the opposite side.

"I'm not that old. Go for it," Bruce's voice chuckled over the intercom. Kennedy twisted the mechanism below and electric sparks danced at the top, ready to be fired. Steadying her excited hands, she let the energy take flight straight into the target. All she saw was a blinding flash of light and the target was smoked with a 'woosh' of power. She threw her hands in the air, laughing like a mad scientist.

"We did it! Woo!" Bruce watched her happy dance on the camera with a fond smile on his face. The past few hours have not only been productive, but…fun. They had no mission or deadline to save the world, but nice scientific fun which was a nice change from Tony drilling him to do upgrades on several things. Everything she said made him laugh, a rare occurrence in recent events. The elevator dinged and she stepped out and held her hands out as if she showed the world her mad skills.

"I own you, old man," she said jokingly. Bruce scoffed.

"Watch and see you're going to get served someday," he replied. Kennedy's palm went to her head.

"No one says that anymore."

"The team is back, Dr. Banner," Friday chirped politely on the intercom. Kennedy took that as a sign that everything was okay. She made her way to the jet's hanger eagerly, with Banner trailing casually behind her with his hands in his pockets.

The team filed in, dropping the duffle bags on the floor. Romanoff felt Bruce's eyes on her the entire time. She stared at him and gave him a cordial nod of the head, both of their hearts sinking that this was the way things had to be. Bruce looked down at his shoes and proceeded to stand next to Kennedy passively.

The soldier's first thought was to have her in his arms when he stepped off of the jet. He rudely nudged through the team, took her face in his hands and crashed his lips against hers. She let out a surprised gasp but melted into the kiss, slowing down his erratic mind. They pulled away and he let his forehead touch hers. Everyone looked away awkwardly, only Steve and Tony looking on in surprise.

"I forgot those two happened," Tony muttered to him. Steve held back a smile; she truly gave his friend refuge, and he would be eternally grateful.

"Grumpy, what happened? Are you okay? You're acting odd," Kennedy whispered to him, stroking his wrinkled, worried forehead. He wanted to tell her, to admit to what he had done and what now lay silently in his jacket. He touched a loose strand of her hair, as if remembering her. Because if she found out, he would never see her again.

"Bad memories," he mumbled instead which didn't lessen the pain of lying to her. Kennedy tiptoed and kissed his forehead; he instantly felt dirty, unworthy of her comfort.

"You're alright, Grumpy. You're home. You're okay," she told him when she embraced him. He buried his face in her shoulder, trying to hide his guilty expression.

"I'm alright," he told himself. Was he?

…..

Tony and Bruce worked silently in their lab, waiting for Kennedy's blood work to finish in the machine. It was taking so long, being as thorough as possible with every test imaginable. Dr. Strange had to step out momentarily so Tony took it over. Right now, they were the only people in the tower looking into it. It was intriguing, something definitely amiss, as if she suddenly existed and had these powers. Bruce monitored while Tony was out, doing everything he could to help. She spent little time with them, but they grew fond of her surprisingly quick. She fit in perfectly with them and suddenly Tony started to refer to her as his and Bruce's love child. Obviously Bruce tried his best to expel Tony's teasing gay undertones but it couldn't be helped. He was relentless.

Getting back from the trip with some souvenirs made Tony eager to go into the lab. He got Friday working on decrypting this supposedly uncrackable file as soon as they left the base. As they worked wordlessly, Tony struck up a conversation on an irrelevant topic.

"Romanoff still not chatty?" Bruce's head shot up at the question but his shoulders sagged in defeat.

"She's done with me and going about her life as usual. I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have left," he replied regretfully, typing on the computer to take his mind off of the Russian assassin.

"Yeah, you're right. You are an idiot. Don't you think that it's weird that the love child has close similarities to Wanda? That's a big coincidence." Bruce pushed up his glasses up in confusion at the random change in conversation.

"Firstly, she's not our love child because Pepper is going to get annoyed one of these days. Secondly, why would it be strange?"

"Think about it. Everyone on the planet has a complete different genetic code and the Baron's experiments on the twins reacted differently in accordance with their structures right? Wanda and Pietro, even though they're twins and have a similar make up, they are different sexes. That's why they have different abilities. The possibility of having the same power as another individual is 1 in a million. Unless…"

"Unless what?" As if on cue, the machine beeped, signalling its completion of its scan of Kennedy's blood work. Tony read through the computer's analysis and his eyebrows shot up.

"Well shit!" he exclaimed.

"I've seen this before with Wanda when we scanned her last month. Check the readings. They're identical." His pocket buzzed as his A.I alerted him of the file download. It took her hours to break through a maximum security firewall; evidence that someone desperately wanted to keep it hidden. Nobody knew that he was acquiring Kennedy's records before her entry into the United Kingdom in 1994, hence her past was literally sitting in the palm of his hand. He opened it and a tiny smirk started to form on his face. He knew he was right.

"What is it, Tony?" Bruce asked cautiously.

"I think it's time for the twins to come home," Tony commented, turning the screen to face his colleague. Bruce stood there stunned as he read the name: DANIA MAXIMOFF.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Sorry for the late update guys :) I had a history assignment that literally took part of my soul. Enjoy and pleaseeeeeee review!**

Wanda and Pietro stood at their parents' graves silently, hand in hand with their chosen bouquets of flowery respects. The tombstones in the destroyed small town cemetery looked so desolate, forgotten and painfully unjust, including the hundred and twenty six that belonged to victims of the bombings. After the fall of their city from the sky, people salvaged their families' stones, a pitiful but necessary way of remembering them since their remains were basically blown to dust in the incineration.

While they forgave Stark for his misgivings, for causing their pain twice, it didn't take away the constant pangs of wanting their parents. If only they saw what they could do, they would be so proud. Look at our children! They're Avengers! A lone, red glowing tear escaped from Wanda's green eye while Pietro could only hold her hand tighter. They said their silent prayers and moved over to the miniature stone beside them, tilted and almost sinking into the dirt. Here, lay the one that would have undoubtedly been an extraordinary person; the missing piece of their whole. When people referred to them as twins, they're minds always turned to the triplet sister that never was. Her grave was closure for their parents as they never discovered who took her away from her family. They were only 3 months old. They never knew her, but she was forever in their hearts. Family was in short supply these days anyway and they felt a deep connection to their youngest third.

Wanda couldn't remember a time when she had never wanted a sister. Pietro wasn't always there to understand her. Her brother, on the other hand, wanted to raise another troublemaker like him, to take care of another baby sister. When he thought Wanda wasn't listening, he talked to Dania's grave, telling her about his day. He would walk her through various events; describe the Avengers to her, their missions and his kick-ass speed. He wondered if she would have looked like him or Wanda, hoping for the former, with white hair like him.

A shrill of a cell phone temporarily pulled them out of their grief. Wanda held it to her ear in irritation since their teammates knew today was off limits.

"What?" her Eastern European accent snapped.

"Something's come up..." Tony started cautiously.

…...

The soldier silently stared at the ceiling of his and Kennedy's room. He irritatedly tugged at neckline of his cotton t-shirt, feeling every fibre rub against his skin. The ringing silence sounded like the screams to him; terrifying and full of pain. How could something that felt necessary feel so sick to him? It **was** for the common good wasn't it? So HYDRA couldn't get to them again? It was war; worse than the one he battled within himself over the last few decades. It was easier then...back then he felt nothing. But now, he felt everything. For the girl a few rooms away in the lab and for those people he ended. They deserved it but-

There was that word again. Reality hit him like a truck; that everything had a price. But he had to pay it for her.

 _"Please, it wasn't our fault! They made us do it!" one of the male doctors begged. Before the soldier strangled him, he had to get answers._

 _"What does HYDRA want with Kennedy Walsh?" he growled. When the man hesitated, he roughly shook the truth from him._

 _"Tell me!" he snapped._

 _"Walsh isn't like the others. S-she's different," he stuttered._

 _"That's not all. You said she was Class 5. What does that mean?!" The man looked at his colleagues who shook their heads adamantly. The soldier took that as a sign that this night was not going to be a clean one. He pulled out his .45 and pointed the cold metal barrel threateningly against his temple, ignoring the pathetic whimper escaping the man's lips._

 _"Tell me or I blow your head off," he said menacingly._

 _"Walsh...could potentially be...the most powerful being on the planet. She could be...the key to evolution itself," he replied, shaking. The soldier lips parted in surprise and confusion, lowering the gun to his side._ _ **His**_ _Kennedy? That explained why HYDRA wanted her so bad; they weren't going to stop until they did. He stepped back with a blank expression and raised his gun again._

 _"I thought you were going to let us go," the man's voice broke._

 _"I never said that," the soldier replied and pulled the trigger without difficulty._

…...

"I know what you did," an electronic voice echoed throughout the room. The soldier looked around but realised that the source of the voice came from his pocket. He had forgotten that Kennedy gave it to him before the mission. This revelation made his heart pound harder; Tesla was there. He held up the mobile in contempt and chose his words carefully and in an even tone.

"You can't tell her," he said. Then he added, "Please."

"Why...shouldn't I?" The soldier didn't want to believe that this meddling A.I was actually 'sassing' him as Kennedy termed several times.

"She has too much on her plate. You know I had to do it. We can't run again. We just can't."

"You could...hurt her." That reply made something in him break. Tesla perceived him as a threat? He would never...How could he think that? They only had Kennedy's best interest at heart.

"You know I would never hurt her. I'd die first," he growled at the mobile.

"But you're...lying."

"Listen to me. You heard what they said about her, why they want her. If you want to protect her, you would keep your mouth shut." Tesla said nothing for a few moments.

"Are we clear?" the soldier demanded.

"For...now."

…...

The numbness of the night did not make sleep come easy, despite Kennedy sleeping peacefully beside him. They unintentionally turned his room into their room since she slept here the other night. However, his initial bliss did not last long.

He turned his head at her sleeping figure, making sure she was asleep. He got out of the bed noiselessly, covering her shoulders with the rest of the duvet. He needed air, needed to sort this out. Their tiny living rooms lights glowed dimly as he walked in and he took a seat on the couch, his face dropping in his hands.

Kennedy padded out of the bedroom in just her tank top and underwear, not minding the cold but only focusing on Grumpy. He wasn't himself when he got back from the mission and now something was definitely wrong. She was slightly confused when he wasn't in bed and became worried when she saw him in the living room. He was in a state for sure; she observed how tense his shoulders were, his fingers gripping his hair. She made her way over to him and said his name softly when she was a few paces away. Sneaking up on him wasn't very wise; guys with PTSD didn't take surprises lightly. He turned to look at her and took her outstretched hand.

"You alright?" she asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You should go back to bed," he told her, his thumb making circles on the back of her hand. She sighed.

"No, you're not fine," she replied sadly. His eyes met hers again and she saw that something was bothering him, eating him up.

"We're partners, remember? You know you could tell me anything, right?"

"I said I'm fine!" he unintentionally snapped. His sharp, loud tone took her aback, confusion in her eyes. He never did that before. She wasn't hurt by his tone, but she felt a sting because she saw that he was lying, hiding something. She had enough of that to go around for a lifetime. What hurt the most was that it was coming from him. But whatever hurt she felt, she hid it well. His hard expression instantaneously melted into guilt and regret as he struggled to get his words out.

"Okay," she said in with a spectacularly neutral expression and turned on her heel to go back into the bedroom, clearly having enough. The soldier knew that look. She was shutting down in front of him and he disliked it when she was like that; like a calculating robot.

The soldier tried to take her hand back as it slipped out of his own but failed. He watched her disappear, heard the door click and closed his eyes in frustration. Great, now he was pushing away the person he cared about the most. His mind wandered to Tesla's threat; even if it wasn't physical, was he really hurting her on the inside?

He quietly slipped back into their room, his heart sinking when he saw her under the covers facing the other side of the bed. Without drastic movements, he slid under the duvet and proceeded to take her by the waist and lightly pull her to him, her back against his bare chest. He gently but firmly wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. He didn't know whether or not she was awake, but was grateful nonetheless that she didn't protest.

…...

Remarkably, he managed to get a few hours in until light came through the blinds. He fought the grogginess and turned to see the bed empty. No doubt Kennedy was up making breakfast since it was 9 which was her regular time. He walked out to see her pouring herself a cup of tea while her toast had grape jelly waiting on her plate. She was already dressed for the day which was odd. Was she planning to go into the lab early today? She would have told him. She met his eyes and gave him a small smile.

"Morning. Want anything?" she asked as she poured hot water into her cup. She busied herself with the sugar and other things as he came up behind her, his hand apologetically skimming her waist. He dipped his head so he could whisper a sincere, "I'm sorry about last night," in her ear. She went about her morning activities like normal, like nothing happened.

"Don't worry about it. I didn't mean to push. It's my fault," she said neutrally and moved away from him to sit at the island in the middle of the kitchen. His heart sank further as he braced the now unoccupied counter. He took a seat next to her, observing how her legs swung back and forth as she ate. What was she thinking about? He'd give anything to know what was in her mind. She was staring into space as if sorting out an equation. Her eyes met his and he wished he didn't see the traces of disappointment in them.

"I-" he started but stopped when she shook her head.

"Grumpy, I'm not mad at you for snapping at me. I do that to you almost all of the time. You're not obliged to tell me everything that goes on in your life. What I don't appreciate is you lying to me about it. I just...thought we were past that, that's all. I'm tired of lies. Really tired," she explained in a small voice, mentally fatigued. She shrugged with a sad smile at the corner of her mouth. 'No,no!' his mind screamed as he saw her drifting away. Their moment ended when her new mobile (probably given to her by Stark) beeped. She looked at it for a fleeting moment and tucked it back into her pocket.

"I have to go to the lab. We'll talk later, yeah?" she told him and hopped off of the stool. However, this time he managed to catch her hand in his. She stopped and looked at him expectantly. He had no words; instead he stood up from his chair, gently cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers. It was his silent apology, even if it was potentially futile. She responded half heartedly but when they both pulled away, she nodded and only repeated, "we'll talk later." He watched her leave, his heart going with her.

…...

"I was in the middle of breakfast, guys. What's up?" Kennedy walked into the lab, not looking her normal, chipper self.

"Right. Let's get down to it. Bruce and I read your file and..." Tony was interrupted by a startling 'woosh' of wind which stopped in the middle of the room. Papers and metal items scattered everywhere and Kennedy held her heart in surprise at the two random people standing in the room.

"What the fuck?!" Kennedy exclaimed.

"Geez! Timing guys! I told you a few more hours," he scolded. Bruce shifted uncomfortably at the situation that was about to unfold. The guy and girl, dressed in blue and red respectively had their gazes trained on Kennedy, in wonder and disbelief.

"It couldn't be helped," the guy whispered distantly. Kennedy's expression melted into confusion as the girl with the guy hot on her heels approached her cautiously. It wasn't menacing whatsoever, more like curiosity. These must have been the twins she heard of. The girl stopped in front of her, her eyes penetrating her. Now she knew the effect she had on people with her own eyes. However, she froze when the girl started to tear up, her ringed hand reaching up to her cheek. Did this girl know her or something? What was going on? Normally, she would have shoved a person away since she treasured personal space, but she didn't dare to move. Something was happening, something she didn't understand.

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about. Kennedy, this is your brother and sister, Pietro and Wanda."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Sorry for the wait peeps! My editor and I were busy as f*** this week. Please review :) don't be shy!**

"Bullocks," Kennedy swore inwardly, trying to ignore the urge to look at her "siblings" and point out similarities. She was not going to be weak, to automatically delve into any information about her past. It brought her nothing but pain anyway. So obviously this was a joke. She didn't believe in fate so, with regards to probability, the chances of meeting one's siblings who just happened to be part of the Avengers, the team helping her with her issues, are very unlikely. Yet, here they were, these two super powered individuals, gifted like her, waited anxiously for her to say something. Her expression must have been something that they weren't anticipating. It was most likely blank. That was because her brain and muscles were trying to work but, no such luck. She took a breath to speak but shut her mouth almost immediately.

Wanda looked slightly disheartened but Kennedy was not particularly bothered. She didn't even know her; was she expecting joy or something? Pietro sensed the distress amongst his reunited family and shifted uncomfortably.

Kennedy decided to end the suspense with a question that took a lot to think about; a single word?

"How?" her voice came out more guttural than usual. Tony came forward slowly, trying to get her attention which remained on the wall behind Bruce across the room, who gazed at her sympathetically. He handed her a file which she took with a professional mindset in place. She turned around and read the first page which undoubtedly made a crack in her stone like expression.

'NAME: DANIA MAXIMOFF

DATE OF BRITH: 1ST JANUARY 1994

FATHER: ALEC MAXIMOFF

MOTHER: KAROLINA GUSTAV-MAXIMOFF

SIBLINGS: WANDA AND PIETRO MAXIMOFF (SHARES DATE OF BIRTH)'

So she was a triplet then, she thought. Those circumstances were rare; rarer than twins, statistically speaking. Trying to be impartial to this information, she chewed on her fingernail, silently scanning the page. She continued to walk around in a slow circle.

"Dania…" she let the name roll off her tongue. She didn't think that it suited her at all. This person that they were searching for was not her; she didn't grow up knowing herself to be Dania who could have been completely different had things been different. That's why they were here; they wanted to meet **that** girl. Not her. Her heart became heavy with that realisation and she resorted to letting them be disappointed.

"Ok," she whispered and closed the file. What to do now? Talk with her siblings? As if on cue, Tony and Bruce prepared to leave. She panicked inwardly, her eyes begging them not to go.

"We'll give you some privacy," Tony told her, gesturing to the main room where they would be waiting. Then they were alone, she and her family. Everything felt smaller, hotter. She put her hair up into a loose ponytail, refusing to look at them. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans.

"Maybethisis…" the words fell out of her mouth unceremoniously.

"It's not a joke. And maybe you should sit down. You're beginning to feel dizzy," Wanda said sympathetically. Kennedy was detecting her Eastern European accent but then had to ask,

"How did you?…" she started.

"I'm like you. And your mind is very loud…and in pain," Wanda answered hesitatingly.

"Don't do that please," Kennedy said hotly. Wanda nodded understandingly and waited for her to sit. Kennedy closed her eyes briefly, breathing in and out slowly.

"If we had known, known that you were alive, we would have come looking for you…brought you home," Pietro said speedily, in order to somewhat save this conversation. He was watching his youngest sister crumble right in front of him no matter how hard she was trying to not break. He and Wanda saw right through her mask; it was a little girl, scared and confused. Kennedy nodded, sitting down; she wasn't going to be cliche and take out her anger on these people who were just as led astray as she was.

"What about my pa-" she had to stop at that word. She didn't dare to say it.

"I think it's best if you read about it, when you have time to yourself," Wanda said gently. With that tone, she knew they were dead. She didn't have the slightest chance from the beginning.

"I'm sorry if this wasn't what you were expecting-"

"It's alright. We didn't know what to expect. Ha, actually Pietro was dying to know which one of us you looked like the most. You two have the hair." Something in her snapped. No, no, no. I have to leave. The room was getting fuzzy and she realised that tears were forming. Wanda's expression fell and she kneeled in front of her sister, cautiously taking her hand.

"Dania," she said her name but Kennedy shook her head adamantly. That wasn't her name. Things were better off when she knew nothing of herself. She couldn't do this right now. Wanda cupped her cheek, desperate to get through to her. Kennedy's face was pityful towards her sister, a tear beginning to fall. Wanda and Pietro wouldn't get the sibling they've been searching for their whole lives. Such a waste. An unjust waste.

"That's not my name. Excuse me," her voice croaked as she escaped her sister's grasp and she swiftly exited the lab. Pietro sprang forward to go after her but Wanda's warning touch on his arm stilled him.

"She needs time. Who knows what she has gone through without us there," she said sadly, hoping one day their broken sister will let them in.

…

The soldier who was still in the kitchen after Kennedy left, shot up from his seat when the computer screen on the counter beeped due to a security alert. Steve ran in, on edge with his shield at the ready.

"What's going on? Who tripped the alarm?" he asked urgently. The soldier shook his head, he was at a lost. The soldier was going to bolt to the lab to get Kennedy but stopped when he saw her walk into the living room. He breathed a sigh of relief but then took in the dazed, blank expression on her face, as well as the way she walked; slow and distracted.

"Are you alright?" he questioned, making his way over to her. She didn't acknowledge him or Steve, brushing past the two of them without a word. The soldier noted a file in her hand. The door to their room clicked and the two super soldiers were dumbfounded.

The soldier instinctively moved forward but Tony Stark's hand suddenly appeared on his arm. Bruce Banner stood behind him. He shrugged off Stark's hand in annoyance and glared at him.

"What happened?" he demanded. Stark decided to just say it.

"During the mission yesterday, I found some files on the elf. We have her real identity. Her name's Dania….Maximoff," he said carefully. Steve's eyes widened and the soldier immediately stopped breathing.

"She's related to the twins?" Steve asked incredulously.

"They're triplets." The soldier felt nauseous; she had family? She got what she wanted; her name, any connection….What now? What to do? His mind couldn't straighten itself out with all the emotions wanting to come out at once. He felt the panic creep up on him and he struggled to stay calm.

"She met them a few minutes ago. It didn't go very well," Bruce added.

Steve saw Bucky turn away from the group, his fists clenched. The soldier breathed heavily, realising what was happening.

"Where are they?" he growled lowly, a bone chilling tone which made everyone want to take a step back. As if on cue, the twins entered the living room cautiously. The soldier dared to take a look at them; he pointed how similar they looked, how Kennedy looked more like the guy who was supposedly her brother. Their worried expressions, as if they cared, made him want to rip their faces off. They decided to waltz in here and whisk Kennedy away so they could be a family again? Where the hell were they when she needed them? Nowhere. Where were they when she had nightmares? Nowhere. Who was there? **He** was. She didn't need them. **He** was all she needed and he gave her all of himself. If they thought they could just take her away from him, they thought wrong. Blood meant nothing.

"Buck," Steve whispered, knowing where this was going, "Kennedy doesn't need this right now. She doesn't need violence. She's confused and scared and they are still her family. Hurting them is going to do more harm than good. You wouldn't do that to her." The reasoning was sound and it made the soldier think. She would never forgive him for it, despite her own reservations about the duo. He saw how selfish the soldier was with her and realised that he was the scared one, terrified. Terrified that she didn't need him anymore, that she was going to leave him. He'd rather die than hurt her.

He suppressed his engrained instinct of locating their vital organs' position and breathed. Putting aside the fact that they fought this morning, he knew that she needed someone right now. He spared one last glare at her siblings and went to their room.

"Who was that?" Wanda asked Steve.

"Your sister's boyfriend," he answered awkwardly. While Pietro frowned considerably at the metal-armed man, his sister stroked her chin in contemplation.

"I see," she replied, her mind working over all those violent and damaged thoughts she had just heard.

…..

He gently knocked on the door but received no reply. He twisted the handle and saw an empty room. However, as he roamed around searching for her, he saw a head of white hair. She was sitting on the ground, facing the wall on her side of the bed, looking at the file lying tauntingly in front of her. She knew it was him. He slowly sat down, right against her, her back to his chest. Neither of them said anything for 10 minutes as they tried their best to process the day's events.

"I—" she started but stopped when her voice fell short. He touched her arm and she thankfully let him, silently coaxing her to speak her mind.

"I'm not…good at understanding these things. I never had a f-family so I don't know what to think now that I have one," she said in a small voice. He looked down at the untouched file and gave her arm a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

"We could read it together," he told her. A few moments of inner debate and she nodded. They started with the first page and remarkably got through with the rest. The file was so detailed that it was unsettling. It had pictures of her family home in Sokovia; which was destroyed by one of Stark's missiles that went rogue (assigning blame like her siblings was meaningless since it wasn't really his fault), independent photos of Kennedy in primary and secondary school, Oxford, ESA, everything you could possibly imagine, even photos of her through the windows of her flat. They even had copies of her awards and algorithms that were under lock and key in MI6 headquarters in London. It looked like HYDRA stalked her for a long time. What struck her was a picture of her parents gravestones, resulting in a small whimper, which turned into a sob.

Grumpy turned her around and lifted her into his lap. She held onto him and cried for the first time since her panic attack during her first week in HYDRA. It was the unattractive, raw sounds of pain that she hated to make. Tears didn't stop and undoubtedly drenched Grumpy's shirt but he didn't care. Her head was tucked under his chin and he rocked her slightly back and forth, letting her cry; she needed to.

"I don't know why I'm fucking crying! I didn't even know them! Why should I care?" her voice was raised and filled with frustration. Her fists gripped his shirt and she buried her face in it. She felt so pathetic. But what Grumpy said to her made her think.

"It's ok to," he answered as he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Everything's just so wrong now. What did I do?" she whispered to herself but unfortunately he heard. He closed his eyes, hurt but shook it off. He had to worry about that later. He just needed to be here, where he would always be, if she wanted him to or not.

…

She fell asleep in his arms after that. Standing up steadily, he put her under the covers, his metal hand stroking her hair a last time before he silently made his way out, only to be greeted by a patiently waiting Steve. He uncrossed his arms and stood straighter from leaning on the wall.

"How is she?" he asked. Bucky's eyes held the expected helplessness and tension.

"It's going to take some time. She'll get used to it because the twins aren't going anywhere anytime soon," he stated, looking at the bigger picture. However, the soldier saw only a smaller one; her. Seeing his friend visibly tense, anger flaring in his eyes, he gave him a disapproving look.

"Why are you being like this? Buck, you should be encouraging her."

"They're bad news and they will only bring her pain," the soldier argued and stormed away.

"You can't keep her from her family," Steve warned softly. The soldier paused to consider his words, turning slowly to look at him, a pleading look in his eyes. Why couldn't Steve see that they were hurting her? Look at her; she cried for an hour, something she never did. But some part of him, deep down knew that where Steve was going with this. What he really meant was ' _You're treating her like a possession'._ He wished he would take that back. It wasn't fair.

He just didn't, couldn't lose her; his greatest fear. And with all that was happening, he made himself question whether it was coming to pass because of him, because of what he did. He shielded his face from Steve and nodded. Unfortunately, he was right. He couldn't keep her from her family, and he needed to get his life in order for the both of them. With a last nod, he left the Captain alone.

…

The soldier, needing to take a walk, didn't anticipate Wanda's sudden presence. He was immediately on edge when he saw her leaning against the wall of the lab, studying him. However, he kept himself calm.

"Pietro and I are not here to take her away from you, if that's what you're worried about," her heavy accent drawled. He said nothing, but she knew that she had his attention.

"Even if we wanted to, it would be impossible. She belongs to you, just as you belong to her. She thinks of you constantly, just as she occupies your own thoughts. I know my brother and I are 20 years too late, but we just want to be here with our sister, to know her. But we know she had a life before us. We both love her, yes? So I think we should at least be civil, since it looks like neither of us are leaving anytime soon," she proposed, holding out her hand. The soldier looked down at it, then back at her. The compromise seemed plausible enough and his instincts detected that she wasn't a threat, no matter his excuses for proving otherwise. At least, they agreed on something. Maybe, he could tolerate them for now. He slowly nodded and left her there, her outstretched hand falling to her side. She smiled; it's a start.

…

"This is one of the last 3 bases we need to take down," Tony showed the team schematics on his holographic screen. This base was in the Himalayas, secluded from prying eyes, yet not enough to prevent the attention of the Avengers. While they couldn't trace any activity from the inside, it did not mean that it was abandoned. HYDRA could have been growing another head for all they knew.

"The plan is simple. Pietro runs in, takes out the guards on the entrance's floor, we bag and tag everything, find the link to the next bases, blow the place to kingdom come. Capiche?"

After five minutes they reassembled. The soldier breathed slowly and steadily, repeating a mantra in his head. 'Don't lose control. Don't lose control. Come back to her. Come back to her.' He fixed his last chest straps and was about to head to his and Kennedy's room but found her behind him instead. He immediately took her worried face in his hands and thankfully she didn't object, wrapping her hands around his wrists. When she opened her mouth to say something, the door slid open and Dr. Steven Strange ceremoniously waltzed in, from wherever he spent the last week.

"Miss Walsh I hope you've had a good rest for the day because we start your training now," he announced, brushing past the couple. Kennedy stepped away from Grumpy, confused.

"What training? Where the hell have you been?" she asked incredulously.

"Needed to do some things. Oh, I see you've met your siblings." Kennedy, daring to spare a glance at her brother then shook her head and sighed, trying not to snap.

"You knew," she stated evenly.

"Of course I did. I helped with the analysis on your blood work. So while your man goes off to war, you will stay behind to train with me. Your powers need some tweaking." She shared a look with Grumpy who gave her a small smile of encouragement.

"Ok?" she replied in a questioning tone. Strange nodded approvingly.

"Outstanding. Meet me in the gym in 10 minutes." With that, the cryptic neurosurgeon left.

"Ok Avengers. Let's boogie," Tony said enthusiastically as everyone filed out. The soldier was rooted in his spot. Kennedy immediately launched herself at him, her head on his chest. His wrapped his arms around her, his cheek falling onto her white head. She looked up at him and he saw, that despite their rough times, nothing changed, her regard for him didn't change in the slightest. That gave him all the hope in the world.

"Come back to me, yeah? Call me if you need anything. I'll be on standby" she told him. He nodded and tilted her head to his for a kiss. After pulling away, he muttered,

"I promise." With a last embrace, he left, a new sense of purpose in his mind.


	28. Chapter 28

"I don't see why we have to do this. The incense is a bit much innit? What if I was an asthmatic?" Kennedy complained, while her eyes were closed and her hands were resting on her knees. She and Strange were currently meditating, sticks of incense and candles burning beside them.

"You're not an asthmatic. I've read your file. You are defeating the purpose of this exercise," he replied slightly annoyed. She sniffed again curiously.

"Why are you burning sandalwood and nag champa together anyway?" she questioned. While she couldn't see, Strange's eyebrow shot up and he hummed with approval.

"You know your incense," he stated.

"I got some from Glastonbury some years ago. It's been ages."

"Yes, I've been there. Brilliant place. Now concentrate. We are trying to calm your energy." Kennedy shifted again, trying to half-heartedly take this session seriously. They've been like this for an hour. She supposed this was how Strange was taught; he never elaborated on how he became a master of the mystical arts. His past seemed like a touchy subject, but since they were going to spend some time together, she might as well.

"Was this a technique you learned?" she asked, her voice more relaxed than before.

"Stories will be exchanged later," he cut off gruffly. She wanted to roll her eyes; and people called **her** Sherlock Holmes?

"Now, I want you to picture something that takes your mind off the negative. A memory, perhaps. Something meaningful. An anchor. Picture it now." Her immediate thought was her Grumpy. She tried not to smile at the thought of his awkward little quirks, his curious head tilts, his attempted smiles, his touches. Despite his annoying characteristic of shouldering the world alone, he was still her Grumpy and that wasn't going to change. Her mind drifted to a day back in the HYDRA base, one that she wouldn't forget anytime soon. It was a Wednesday, and Tesla's mainframe wasn't built into existence yet.

…...

 _She went through her blueprints several times before deciding to proceed with outfitting. Her loose bun bounced up and down rigorously as her head jerked back and forth to music she played for herself in her head. An idea occurred to her; her computer was wired only for schematics and communication with the scientists and engineers. She could possibly get to someone's playlist in the building. Guards were human after all and bound to have iTunes. She typed away on the laptop and found a loophole after all. Ha, HYDRA guards, the most dangerous, yet incompetent men on the planet, were Apple consumers. Pretty hilarious. She scrolled through the variety of options until she found one of her favourite genres; 80s music. She patched it through to the speakers in the room that were normally used for announcements and Pierce's paedophilic voice giving her instructions. 'Your love' by the Outfield blared shamelessly and echoed loudly in the room._

 _I just wanna use your love tonight!_

 _I don't wanna lose your love tonight!_

 _Apparently she was singing it aloud, and before she knew it, she whipped her head back and forth to the music, spinning around madly in circles. HYDRA wasn't going to take this away from her. She could at least try to make the most of it, be happy for a little while. No one came barging in so she assumed that it was acceptable._

 _He had been watching her for some time; she was too busy enjoying herself to notice that he had returned from his briefing with Pierce. He was confused when he heard music coming from their room and opened the door only to find his white haired friend, jumping about and spinning wildly like a crazy person; it took a moment for him to realise that it was her version of dancing. He never heard such music, or any music before. HYDRA didn't give him that luxury. He found this sample too loud, the melodies strange, but the more he watched her, the more tolerant he became. He saw that it had a pleasant effect on her, which was way better than the second panic attack she had several days ago. He preferred her this way; happy._

 _Kennedy stopped dancing and saw Grumpy watching her curiously from the doorway, his hands behind his back as he observed her. She smiled brightly, not caring if her hair was a state coming out from her bun. She gestured for him to come to her, holding out her hand for him to take. His hand enveloped hers immediately. Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance with Somebody came on._

 _"Please tell me HYDRA let you listen to some kind of music," she asked him, heaving from all the activity. He shook his head, not really bothered. She gawked at him but stood up straighter with an idea._

 _"You're going to dance with me. You probably don't know how, but you're going to dance with me," she said laughing, taking both of his hands in hers. She swayed a bit to get him moving. He moved along with her awkwardly, looking anywhere but at her, embarrassed._

 _"Come on, Grumpy. We might as well make the most of it. You're doing it," she encouraged, laughing. She bobbed a bit and kept smiling at him. Unbeknownst to him, she knew that whenever she smiled, he couldn't resist a little one of his own. It took effort but he managed one, trying to go along with her movements. As the song's chorus came on, he made some half-hearted movements which were little compared to her flamboyance. Surprisingly, as they still held hands, he took initiative to twirl her around a few times. She looked at him with delightful shock._

 _"Where'd you learn that?" she asked in astonishment. He looked down confused for a second and shrugged._

 _"I don't know," he answered. It didn't matter anyway; this moment did._

… _..._

"Now open your eyes," Strange's voice resonated in her mind, pulling her back. She opened them and looked around, her gaze falling on him. She shrugged.

"I don't see anything," she told him dully. He chuckled slightly and his eyes gestured to the candles and incense near them.

"What the-" she started and trailed off. The candle's lights stood eerily still, no wind or movement making them flicker, but the weirdest part was the smoke. The smoke formed tiny balls which floated peacefully above their sticks.

"Your energy in the room was making them move about and drift. Now that you've found an anchor, your energy decided to tone down, not fluctuate. It's a happy something, I presume," Strange said. Kennedy looked down briefly and smiled.

"Yeah. It is," she nodded. Strange seemed pleased with the answer.

"Good. Now time for the exciting stuff." He stood up abruptly, snapping his fingers randomly and she cautiously followed. What was he doing? He took balls of brass from his large pockets and set them up in a perfectly straight row on the ground a few metres away.

"You are going to levitate these objects, aim at the target and send them flying," he stated, actually considering that she could do it. She scoffed and folded her arms.

"How? What if it goes straight through your head?" she asked defiantly.

"I am the Sorcerer Supreme, a master of the mystical arts. Don't think that I can't stop a small ball of metal," he clipped at her. Well, he did have a point.

"Now close your eyes and focus," he instructed patiently. She did as she was told, holding out her palm in line with the target. For five minutes she heard nothing and she huffed in frustration. As she spun around to face Strange and tell him off for his useless techniques, she yelped when a brass ball sped his way. Thankfully, his elegant hand stopped it mid-air, bringing it to a floating halt. If he were anyone else, they would have been in a coma by now.

"I think I know your problem," he said calmly before the ball dropped in his hand. Still recovering from her shock, her silence signalled him to continue.

"You think too much," he stated. It wasn't all bullshit; she **did** think too much. That was how her mind worked. Focusing solely one thing was difficult at times. All she saw were problems that needed to be fixed, numbers and such.

"Your anchor. Think about him." He dropped the ball in her hand and left without another word. She watched the object wordlessly and tried something new. She lay on her back and stared at the glass ceiling. Grumpy; was he doing ok? Were they ok? She didn't know what was going on with them, but she was sick of it. She just wanted them to be...ok. Was it her? However, they couldn't stay away from each other. They were each other's drugs, refusing to let go, always coming back to each other. She never had that before. Instead of dwelling on the negative, she thought of something positive; the future. What did it hold? She smiled and thought 'so many things.'

"You're thinking about your soldier, are you?" an Eastern European voice asked her. Kennedy's eyes opened; of course she was still here. She didn't go with the others. Kennedy wondered if she had done that on purpose, in order to get her alone. She sat up, surveying her sister cautiously as she sat across from her, but her expression remained somewhat polite. Wanda didn't deserve any harsh treatment since it wasn't her fault. Small talk was still a bit dodgy for her; it was a miracle for her and Banner. So she started with a confirming nod to answer her question. Wanda gave her a shy smile.

"He loves you," she said, sounding pleased that her sister had someone. Kennedy's head snapped up dramatically at the sound of that word. A few incoherent, bumbling phrases stumbled from her mouth. Wanda looked exceptionally entertained, however. Did Grumpy 'love' her? She knew he was capable of affection and intensity, but she wasn't sure if he knew the meaning. It was a huge step to say that to a person; she knew from experience that saying it too early meant pain.

"Think what you will, but he does. His mind is just as loud as yours." That didn't make things better, so Wanda backed off on the topic for now. Both of them settled into an awkward silence, their chests heavy with things they wanted to say to each other.

"Wanda, I-"

"Dania-" They both laughed nervously and Wanda gestured for her to go first.

"I'm not good at...processing these things. I'm sorry," was all she could say; quite a pathetic attempt at instigating a bond, especially with someone with whom you shared a freaking womb. Wanda nodded, as if she understood entirely. Was that some sort of thing that was installed in triplets? Interesting. As if sensing Kennedy's hesitancy, Wanda decided that she experienced enough surprises for the day. She stood and smiled again at her younger sister but paused, turning to face her.

"He's crazy about your legs, by the way," she giggled and left. Kennedy lay back on the mat with her interlocked hands behind her head and thought with satisfaction, 'I knew it.' With a sense of peace in mind, she jolted from her spot on the floor when she heard a loud bang. She looked up and saw the iron ball, sitting snugly in the bullseye.

…...

Everything was going to plan. The soldier didn't think there would be anymore security on this floor but lo and behold, there was. A radio obnoxiously blared that they had to make this recon count, that HYDRA was counting on them. To the soldier, that meant that they were the last team to close in on him. But this...this was not what he was anticipating. The bloodlust emerged a lot faster than before, his former self making an appearance again. He took them out like clockwork, bodies dropping one after one. He understood that there were casualties in war and conflict but questioned where it would end. After his work, he slid down the wall, their blood splattered on his horrified face. What scared him was that he wanted more, more revenge, more damage. He frantically searched for his satellite phone that she made for him and held it to his ear tightly.

"Patch me through Tesla," he demanded. He got a dialing tone and waited for an answer.

"Grumpy? Are you ok? What's going on?" Kennedy's worried voice asked. Just the sound, the pleasant and familiar sound sent a feeling of warmth through him. He closed his eyes and listened to her, calming his storm.

"I just...n-needed to hear your voice," he stuttered.

"I'm here. It's good to hear your voice too. Are you alright?" He paused. No! his mind screamed. His face became red as he couldn't bring himself to reply to her question.

"I just want to hear you talk. I need to hear you. Please?" His innocent request broke her; something happened and it was definitely connected to the previous mission. But he didn't need that now, he needed her.

Tesla buzzed him on another device and saw a message that he knew would appear eventually.

"We have to tell her," it said. As the soldier took in the mutilated bodies that littered the hallway floor, he agreed with the A.I.

 **A/N: IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT! Lol I hope you all read this. My friend and I were thinking of asking some of you guys who are artistic to send us some fan-art of Bucky and Kennedy (Cara Delevingne in my head) and we pick one to set as the story's profile picture. I would love to see your interpretations and perceptions of the story so don't hesitate to message me if you have ideas :) Thanks for reviewing and following! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. **


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: keep those reviews coming peeps!**

After stepping off of the quinjet, the soldier ambled to his and Kennedy's room, ignoring the worried and startled looks from the Avengers. He was covered in blood after all; it made no sense keeping it a secret anymore. Kennedy had to know. He felt numb, thinking about how she will react. She hated killing and now that he had done so much of it, he was preparing himself for the disgust she would soon come to portray toward him, walking out the door to never see him again. His chest constricted painfully at the thought of losing her to his monstrosity. Why did he have to ruin everything he touched? Why was he cursed? It wasn't fair; if there was a God, why did he do this to him? Why was his shot at redemption so cruelly taken away? He braced himself as he opened the door, finding her sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for him. She stood up abruptly as she took in the gory sight of him, a shell of a man. He refused to look at her, focusing on his boots. He knew that heartbreak was all over her face, yet none of them spoke. The satellite phone slipped from his hand and landed on the carpeted floor with a soft thud. She padded over to him slowly until he could see her face, looking up at him with concern. She stayed still for a few moments and then steadily brought her hands up to his chest. How could she touch him right now? After all that he had done? She undid the straps of the front of his uniform, one by one. The leather vest came off with his help and they threw the blood stained contraption to the floor. Next was the heavy black long sleeved shirt and he stood before her in just his cargo pants, most of the red memories of the night abandoned in a heap beside them. She sat on the bed again and gently patted the spot next to her. He did as he was told, his heart pounding. He heard her deep, calm breaths and listened attentively as she broke the silence.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she questioned. He closed his eyes, unable to answer.

"You killed them. On this mission and the last. Not just soldiers but doctors," she stated factually. He couldn't pinpoint any emotion in her words. He nodded shamefully; Tesla beat him to it and the suspense of her final response was going to end him.

"You should have told me. We're supposed to be partners. That's what couples do, Grumpy. They tell each other things." She held her head in her hands but remained calm.

"When I saw what they had in store for you, I-" he paused,"...had to." But her reply was nothing short of unexpected and startling.

"Good," she replied bluntly, with a hint of bitterness. His gaze was trained on her as she stared hollowly at the floor.

"What?" he managed to ask.

"They took everything from us. I'm led to believe that they took me from my family. They tortured you and were about to end the world. Those bastards got what they deserved," she said, her eyes shimmering as she locked gazes with him. The past few days obviously changed how she saw HYDRA. Finding the truth about herself gave her new insight.

"I didn't mean to-"

"You think that I care about those evil pieces of garbage?! I care about you!" she stood up from her spot and stood in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"For fuck's sake, I should be boiling right now, but I can't," she said mostly to herself, rubbing her face. But she kneeled in front of him, giving him a stern look.

"Listen to me, Grumpy. They may have gotten what they deserved...but it's not worth losing your soul over. Do you understand me? You lost it once and I'm not going to let them take you away from me. I'm pissed that you didn't tell me. I thought we were past that." His expression was less than ideal since she had to get through to him by being in his face.

"The way I am now...I could hurt you. You shouldn't be with me. I'll just destroy us. I'll undo us," his guttural voice tried to reason with her. Didn't she understand that she was holding a murder machine, a manufacturer of death? Why did she still care for him?

"If you think you're going to leave me for a reason as stupid as that, think again. Where you go, I go." Deciding to not be mad, she brushed some hair out of his face, and he couldn't help but lean into her touch.

"But, I've killed-"

"I know, Babe. But, I need you to be honest with me. How long have you been experiencing these...episodes? Violent stuff?" He closed his eyes but saw that she was trying to understand.

"For a while," he answered, at which she nodded.

"You're not alone, Grumpy. I'll help you. Whenever you feel like that again, **for God's sake** , tell me! Okay? We will find another way to get back at them."

"Y-you're not angry? You're not going to leave me?" he asked like a pathetic child. She then straddled him, her legs on either side of him. He dared to put his hands on her waist so she wouldn't fall. She stroked his clenched jaw and considered his words.

"I admit, it...worried me, disturbed me in the beginning. But the more I thought about it, I realised what was happening to you." She paused and he waited impatiently for what was to be said. "You're having the trouble that every soldier has. You're having difficulty disconnecting yourself, HYDRA's version of you and you've had it worse than others. Everything's happened so quickly; us, the Avengers, HYDRA. You haven't had time to let yourself simply be...a man. To fully be free." He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Just because there's a couple of issues, doesn't mean that I'm leaving you. I know that with everything that I am, you would never hurt me. I accept you; both of you. Let me help you?" she kissed him lightly on the lips. His eyes fluttered closed as her lips trailed upward over his eyelids.

"Forgive yourself, please? Just promise me, no more lying, no more hiding. Let me help. Please." He nodded fervently and wrapped his arms around her tightly, a groaning sob escaping his lips. He shook with regret and relief. He never cried this way before; he felt degraded feeling so weak, but that feeling simply vanished at the thought of her acceptance. She accepted him for the damaged man that he was. How did she exist? Someone so pure had to be part of his imagination. He buried his face in her neck, his tears drenching her shoulder but she didn't care. He shivered and held on tighter, but not so much as to hurt her.

"Why are you so good to me?" he whispered shakingly. He just didn't understand it.

"I don't know. It's a gift," she answered and he huffed, a poor attempt at a laugh. They pulled away and she wiped both of their tears.

"We'll get through this. We always do. Partners remember?" She held out her pinky, a gesture they didn't use in a long time. He wrapped his own around hers and nodded sincerely. Another nervous thought occurred to him.

"There's something else," he started but stopped when she waved her hand dismissively.

"If you're talking about the file, I know already. Tesla updated me on everything. He was quick to rat you out, that little suck up. It's all new age, superstitious shit to me. Like I said before, no more lies. Clear? We need to trust each other," she left it at that and pulled him up to stand.

"You need a shower. Hop in there, I'll get you some clothes." He didn't let go of her hand for a time, and she looked at him expectantly. He looked at her as if she were God's gift to him alone and brushed his lips over her knuckles. Thank you for not giving up on me. Her eyes said it all; _'I will always be to there to save you, Grumpy.'_

…...

"Maybe you should take a break from all the recon. We can find something else to do," Kennedy suggested, picking apart an annoying loose thread in the duvet. She was lounging on her stomach while he lay on his back, listening to the soothing sound of her voice. The shower did wonders for the tension he felt all over his body. Just lying here with Kennedy made it better. The thought of time away from it didn't sound like a bad idea, but he didn't want to let Steve down.

"What about Steve?" he asked.

"You and I can help him from here. It's not like we're entirely useless. I haven't been entirely bored, with Strange and all," she replied. He turned his head to look at her.

"How was training?" A subtle smile, like an inside joke, played on her lips.

"Getting there soon. Maybe with enough practice I can go out in the field with the team." His forehead immediately crinkled with adamancy and she rolled her eyes.

"That will be debated later," she mumbled and changed the topic. Something was plaguing her mind the past few days anyway.

"Grumpy, do you think we get along well with everyone?" she asked curiously. The soldier thought about it. He disliked mostly everyone, with the exception of his girl and Steve; her brother and sister were tolerable for the time being. But relations were civil, he supposed.

"Why?" he asked, brushing his finger along her cheek. She bit her lip and continued.

"Tony and Banner asked me to work here. Like to stay here for a while, even after Strange is done training me." He didn't know what to think of that. That meant they would have a home, a stable and permanent home. The thought of building a future with her was monumental and he wanted nothing more than to be happy with her, to be at peace. But something was holding him back; what? Was he scared of screwing up again? Yes. Was he ready to get back out into society and build relationships with others like Steve? No. He was still getting used to letting other people be around them at all. But if he still thought like this, they would never be happy. Kennedy taught him many things and one was that it was okay to let people help.

"Is that what you want?" he asked, turning on his side so their faces were so close. A small smile formed.

"Where you go, I go," she declared softly. That was the answer he needed.

"Where you go, I go," he repeated.

…...

She encouraged him to have a chat with Steve; no doubt he was worried out of his mind. So while Kennedy gave him a 'thumbs up' to approach Steve who was sitting on their living room couch, hunched over, she exited to give them a moment. The soldier sat across from him, cautiously observing his movements. Was he going to snap for all the murder the soldier committed? Was he going to take him out? While he could easily beat him and Kennedy definitely wouldn't let it happen, he wouldn't do it; not like last time. He was his friend, his only link to the man he was before, despite the chances of him returning being at absolute zero. Steve opened his mouth but closed it to rethink.

"I'm sorry, Buck," he whispered. The soldier got a lot of surprises today. People weren't reacting the way they should have been. Why would **he** be sorry? He didn't do anything; he didn't kill people in cold blood.

"Why?" the soldier spoke slowly. Steve looked up and his broken expression was one the soldier recognised instantly: failure. The soldier found himself very moved that his comrade chose to take the blame for his violent malfunction, but it wasn't uncalled for.

"Don't give me that look. It is my fault. I took you out in the field too fast. It was stupid of me to think-" he trailed off, looking away.

"To think what?" Steve looked up.

"That the Bucky I fought with 70 years ago would come out. I was an idiot. I didn't see the repercussions of HYDRA's torture...until it was too late. I was just so wrapped up in the fact that you were back and the thought of things getting better..." The soldier's guilt only increased. This man never failed to stun him speechless. How could he blame himself for wanting his friend back? It was only natural after all that they went through. The soldier might not have remembered him all that well, but he knew well enough to know that Steve Rogers was a decent and genuine man; a trustworthy man. To have so much faith in someone who barely remembers you is worthy of praise and...a change in attitude. The soldier hesitantly stuck out his hand for him. Steve looked surprised but a small smile crept up on his face; he took his friend's outstretched hand and shook it.

"Thank you for not giving up on me. You have nothing to apologise for," was all the soldier could muster up. Steve smiled and nodded, relieved that they were getting somewhere. They let go but the soldier had something else to say, needed to say.

"Kennedy is teaching me. How to forgive myself, to be...a man again. With what I've done, it's far from perfect, but I'm trying." The soldier realised that this is the most he'd ever said to anyone, apart from Kennedy. Having another friend wasn't so bad; not as daunting and distrustful as before. It felt good. Steve's smile grew at his sincerity and effort.

"She's good. For you. At first I thought she was kinda young, but you need each other. You two are happy. I'd never thought I'd see the day when you'd settle down," he laughed. The soldier became confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, back in the day, you were a hell of a lady's man. Date each week, couldn't remember their names the next day, that sort of thing." That thought disturbed him. He was now accustomed to Kennedy's displays of affection but for him to initiate it on that scale was out of the question. To meet different women on a frequent basis was a tad insulting. Why would he play with their feelings like that? That wasn't a real man. And Kennedy was the only woman that made sense in his world.

"I sounded like an ass," he blurted. Steve burst out in laughter and the soldier couldn't help but smile in return, his eyes lighting up slightly.

"Yeah, you were. But you were a good friend." Something else crept into his mind that he needed to address.

"Kennedy and I decided to spend some time here...if that's okay with you and your team. I know Stark and Banner are on board," he told Steve who looked shocked nonetheless.

"Seriously?" he asked in subtle disbelief. The soldier nodded confidently.

"I want a stable home for her, for us. A future sounds like the way to go."

"Kennedy's rubbing off on you." Yes, she was, in so many ways.

"I'm behind you 100%, Buck." Steve leaned over and clapped him on the side of his arm. If it were anyone, he would have broken their arm. But then again, Steve Rogers wasn't just anyone.

Peaking from behind the wall, Kennedy held back a knowing smile. The bromance was so real right now.

 **A/N: In case you guys didn't see in the last author's note, don't be afraid to send some awesome fan art or any other creations :) Thanks again!**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Merry Christmas my lovelies :) Hope you had a blessed holiday with your families! Here's my gift to you. Sorry it took so long. Enjoy!**

The soldier jolted out of his sleep, his eyes searching the darkness for any sign of reality. He breathed slowly, in and out in relief to find that he was safe in his and Kennedy's bed. He pushed the hair out of his eyes, wiping the moisture off his face. He turned his head and saw Kennedy drowsily lift her head from his chest to look at him. His arm moved up and down her back, a sign that he was fine. Obviously, she didn't believe him.

"Roof?" she asked, fully awake now. He contemplated for a few moments and was about to say no when she beat him to it.

"You're so stubborn," she said, climbing off of the bed to put on something warmer. He hated to deprive her of sleep because of nights like these; almost every night.

"You haven't slept well. I can go by myself. Please, this isn't fair to you," he pleaded with her. She sauntered to his side of the bed and ran her hand down his cheek, the pad of her thumb gently moving back and forth against his hot skin, in a reassuring manner.

"You forget that I don't have a proper job to worry about in the morning. I can go whenever I want and I can sleep during the day. I'm helping you and I know you would do the same for me," she explained with a kind smile on her face as she fitted her beanie hat onto her head. He pulled her to him gratefully, wrapping his arms around her waist and his head resting on her stomach. The past few days were hell, yes, but she made his nights pass easier. While she was not a shrink, and knew he wouldn't dare to trust one, she took his therapy upon herself. It wasn't mind-blowing with various techniques and such, but it began to help in little ways. Daytime was manageable and slowly but surely, nights were getting better. Kennedy and Steve had been corroborating, so while Kennedy worked in the lab, Steve sparred with him or went through files. Initially, the soldier thought it was a bad idea, but the healthy competition was good for him. An environment with just two people didn't send him into a rampage as he thought it would. So much effort was being put into making him better and he felt absolutely guilty. However, he realised that they wouldn't have offered if they thought him burdensome or beyond hope.

The soldier took her hand and they went to the roof of the Avengers Tower, where the night sky awaited. They lay down on their backs next to each other and Kennedy sent a ping to Tesla to dim the lights from the buildings around them. People were sleeping so it wasn't a big deal, plus Tony gave the owners a nice incentive for the trouble.

"Do you have your star map?" she asked him. He nodded, taking it out of his pocket and handed it to her. She then applied pressure to one of the concrete tiles next to her and it opened to reveal a cable. She plugged it in and the sky above was magnified to reveal different galaxies and planets up close; the roof of the tower actually had a holographic dome which, with Kennedy's input, was turned into a more advanced telescope and observatory.

"Do you want to look at anything in particular?" she asked.

"I'm up for anything," he replied. She nodded and tapped into another galaxy on the map, the kind that was numbered, rather than named and still under observation by the world's top scientists. They would have wished to be here at this moment with Stark and her latest technology. She saw Grumpy visibly relax as they explored deep space from a comfortable distance.

"What do you think is out there?" he asked her.

"Trees that move, talking raccoons; who knows?" she chuckled as she took his hand in hers. Therapy for Grumpy wasn't based on common procedures or professionalism; it was personal and emotional, plus he didn't feel like he was obligated to lay his thoughts and soul out just yet. The soldier was so grateful for Kennedy's never-ending patience with him as she emphasised that he could tell her whenever he saw fit. The most recent dream, however, made him want to get it off his chest, to make sense of it.

"This one was of Pierce," he managed to get out. The soldier now had Kennedy's full attention, her hand clutching his in comfort, and signalling for him to continue.

"I think this was when they first captured me. I could hear myself repeating my name, where I was from, my platoon number. And he kept telling me that I was doing HYDRA's good work. I resisted for a long time, but it wasn't enough. I was too weak. I don't want to be like that again."

"The fact that you resisted them for so long shows how strong you are Grumpy. Look at you now. You broke away from their control and we escaped. Don't ever think that you aren't enough. You are so much more. Never think of yourself as inadequate because you're human," Kennedy reassured him. She was right; he was human, even though HYDRA drilled into him the notion that he wasn't. He vowed to himself that he wouldn't let them take his humanity away again. It was words like hers which helped him get through these turbulent encounters. She always had a way with him, like magic. He felt his doubt begin to dissolve into the back of his mind and just relished in the warmth of her beside him as they beheld the stars above them.

They underestimated dawn's speed and were shocked when it was around 7 in the morning. The soldier suggested that she should take the day off to sleep due to another long night with him.

"Shut up," she whispered and pulled his face to hers. They haven't kissed like this before; her lips moved languidly against his, slipping some tongue action in there. He slightly gasped at the sensation but before he could respond, it was over. Kennedy held back a laugh as Grumpy almost pouted.

"After 4, I'm all yours," she winked before pecking him again.

…...

She went to the lab and was surprised to find her brother snooping around her workstation; not maliciously of course but curiously. She took this time to observe him. While she didn't know much about him, she saw that he lived for the moment, genuinely loved his abilities. To be honest, she was a bit jealous that his gift was enjoyable; he didn't have to worry about hurting anyone. Eventually, he was alerted to her presence and shifted awkwardly.

"I didn't mean to snoop around. I just needed to see Banner," he scratched the top of his head.

"He's out for a few hours. Anything I can help with?" she asked, surprising the both of them. He was her brother after all; it wasn't like she could ignore that fact. Pietro thought about it and confused her when he took off his shoes and handed one to her.

"When I run too fast, I wear them out. They spark, the sole melts and I have to keep replacing it," he explained to her. She stroked her chin in contemplation and nodded, taking the shoe to her workstation to get a closer look under the magnifier.

"Well, we could make a pair of boots out of a structured polymer. The tensile strength should withstand heat and high speeds. We have some material in the basement that we could try," she told him and looked up to find that he sped off. In two seconds he returned, holding a box of blue and grey material triumphantly.

"Like this?" he asked. She couldn't help but laugh at her brother's antics. Yes; they were definitely related.

"Brilliant," she commented and took the box from him.

"Thank you, Dania," he said and shut up as soon as the words left his mouth. The silence instantly became unsettling with his mistake. However, she decided to end it.

"I guess I have to get used to it. It's not that bad a name," she chuckled nervously.

"Do you prefer Kennedy? I don't mind," he offered. She looked up at him and smiled.

"We'll work on it."

…...

"You've improved. Your control is becoming natural to you," Strange complimented. Kennedy sighed with relief as she finally managed to gain the neurosurgeon's favour. However, she had seen enough movies to know that getting cocky meant humiliation and an immediate start back to square one. So she just nodded and raised her hand again to resume practice as her mentor stepped behind her, waiting for her to proceed. She gestured for the long titanium rod to rise from its place on the ground and it rose expectantly. She spun it around several times like she did for the past hour and dropped her hand. The rod floated in place as if waiting for another command.

Strange couldn't help the tiny, knowing smile from forming on his lips. He was wrong about her. He wasn't fond of the idea of tutoring such a young person since most of them were nowhere near mature enough to learn such intricate arts. But her genius and tendency to see beyond her victories and observe room for improvement made his job...more bearable. Kennedy Walsh was indeed special. They had been staying at the Tower for a few weeks now and he would never admit aloud that he had a little soft spot for the girl. He learned to appreciate her attempts at conversation, the fact that they spoke the language of science and other things. She relinquished from asking him personal questions, thankfully which showed him her growing maturity over the past few weeks. However, she needed more. She had gotten through the basics, so now she needed some diversity. With time, she would become a force to be reckoned with.

"We are going to do something different today," he announced. She turned to him in slight confusion but attentive nonetheless.

"Come out soldier!" he called out to the empty gym. The doors slid open with a _'pff'_ and Grumpy made his way towards them. Kennedy gave Strange a questioning look but his eyes said it all; trust me. She met Grumpy halfway with an inevitable smile playing on her lips.

"What's going on? What are you doing here?" she asked him. His immediately softened at her proximity and he took her hand in his.

"I'm helping **you** this time," he replied, his thumb making soft movements over her skin.

"Enough of that. Let's get to work," Strange interrupted mercilessly. Grumpy reluctantly stepped away from her and stood at ease, waiting for Strange's instructions. He watched as the neurosurgeon took Kennedy to the other side of the gym.

"Right. This is what we are going to do. I am going to through this knife at your man," Strange said nonchalantly. Kennedy's eyes instantly became saucers at the notion.

"I won't fucking let you!" she exclaimed furiously.

"That's the spirit. You're going to stop me."

"I'm not ready."

"Trust me. You are." The finality and confidence in Strange's words did not reassure her enough. She knew why the doctor brought Grumpy in; it was motivation. The instinct to protect loved ones was one of the greatest ways of ensuring it. The way Strange believed in her as well as the way Grumpy looked at her from across the room was unsettling. They actually believed that she could do it. She huffed and braced herself; no one was going to hurt Grumpy.

"Steady, soldier. Ready?" Strange called. Grumpy nodded and held his head high for the knife to come. Strange's reflexes were unparalleled; his speed and agility were past human since she didn't even see the knife being thrown. However, she surprised herself with her response. Her hand shot out and the silver instrument froze a good few feet away from her soldier. The power she felt, the triumph was incredible. To control something that would have been inevitable in more human circumstances was invigorating. This gave her hope; hope that she could use her gifts to help others, to stop the impossible. The knife fell and clattered to the ground.

"Holy shit," she muttered and a huge smile broke out on her face. The soldier couldn't help but return it.

…...

In the lab, in a lone duffle bag, something glowed ominously. An inklet of green energy pulsed and radiated, ready to find the one who was deemed worthy of its power.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: A bit short, yes but please give me the feedback! Bless.**

Stephen Strange silently stuffed his belongs into his suitcase. His work was done here; the machine he helped Stark with was finished and Kennedy had the basics of her powers down packed. He was no longer needed and it was time to return to...

He realised that he didn't really have anything to return to; no family, no job, just his magic. He berated himself for forming any attachments because he found it rather difficult to leave. If he slipped away unnoticed and unengaged, he believed that everything would be back to normal. Instead of dragging the case, he lifted it, slipping out of the door. However, he didn't anticipate his young student sneaking up on him.

"You're leaving?" she questioned in slight distress. He cleared his throat and turned around stoically.

"My work here is done, my dear. Your powers seem to be in control. All you need is further guidance and reinforcement. I have left Dr. Banner instructions," he answered bluntly. Kennedy's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"But you can't leave. You weren't even going to say goodbye? Absolute rubbish, that is." Strange admitted to himself that he felt a pang of guilt; Walsh was indeed considered a friend to him. As misanthropic as he was, she was somewhat an exception. She was just like him; an equal in that sense. He sighed and surprisingly placed comforting hands on her shoulders.

"You are more powerful, more capable than you think. Give yourself some credit. You will undoubtedly be someone great. It has been an honour teaching you, Kennedy. You are the greatest student I've ever had." His words made things brighter, clearer for her. She couldn't process the faith and pride he had in her. Did he really think she could be someone great in this world? She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his torso tightly. Strange was taken aback, not knowing what to do. He looked down at the white head of hair that settled on his chest happily. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around and eventually relaxed into the embrace. The girl definitely had a place in his heart. They stayed like that for a while until she pulled away, smiling sadly.

"Should you ever need anything..." Strange didn't need to finish for her to know what he meant. She nodded and let him pass as he picked up the case and walked out. He passed the soldier on the way, who was waiting for Steve to spar. The soldier looked on in confusion, taking in Strange's look of departure.

"Take care of her soldier," Strange told him. The soldier nodded once with determination, a silent promise: Always.

…...

She sat on the balcony, looking over the bright lights of the city and feeling the delightful breeze caress her face. She heard the door open and didn't have to turn around to know that it was Grumpy.

The soldier wanted to make sure that she was alright since Strange had to leave. Seeing her sitting there, legs dangling carelessly made him slightly nervous. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her firmly. She shook with laughter.

"I'm not going to fall. Don't worry," she patted his arm and leaned back against him. They stayed like that for a few minutes, enjoying the quiet.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her, his chin on her shoulder. She sighed sadly.

"I'm going to miss Strange. He was a brilliant teacher," she answered in a small voice, "But I hope he finds what he's looking for." This confused the soldier. What did she mean by that?

"He's looking for something. I could practically feel it on him. Whatever it is, I hope he finds peace soon." She swung her leg over and hopped down from the balcony. She stared up at him mischievously.

"So, we're alone," she stated factually. Yes, they were. Actually, for the first time in a while where she wasn't busy and training and he wasn't sparring with Steve. Finally and pleasantly alone. Hooking her fingers through the loops of his jeans, she pulled him to her and nipped him on his neck. He tried to refrain from a gasp of pleasure but failed miserably. Her lips on his skin made him feel hot, flustered and craving more. He gulped nervously, breathing unsteadily as she left a trail of kisses on the side of his neck and stopped at the corner of his mouth, tantalizing him. She hovered there, smiling at his torment. His pulse was racing exponentially at her proximity. This was very different to their normal encounters. Within his 70 years at HYDRA, he never experienced such bodily reactions.

"Not ready for that yet, huh?" she chuckled and settled back on her feet. His body said otherwise. And now he wanted to hit himself for thinking more inappropriate thoughts. While he was terrified of hurting her, another part of him, the one from the 40s told him; not yet, not until you are ready for sure at least or married. He felt that he needed to be in full control of himself, mentally and physically before they proceeded to that stage. If he did it now, he would be disrespecting her; he had too many burdens, too much history. He had to forgive himself and let go so he could give her everything. He caressed her face lovingly and she returned a soft gaze.

"When I become a man again," he told her. She nodded understandingly and bit his lip teasingly.

"Shame. But then again, practice makes perfect," she chuckled and made an exit, leaving him regretting his decision.

…...

Kennedy fixed the magnetic strip on her new bow staff so it wouldn't separate so easily. She stood up, holding it horizontally and brought it down hard on her knee, making it separate into two long metallic batons. She smiled in triumph. However, the cockiness eventually got the better of her as she decided to use her powers to hurl it across the room like a spear. She screamed as Pietro and Wanda bolted out of the way, ending up in front of her in a blue and red blur.

"Mother of God! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?!" Kennedy asked urgently, shaking from almost killing her siblings. They stood there, dumbstruck. However, Kennedy didn't expect them to start laughing. Were they going into shock? She wouldn't blame them.

"That was incredible," Pietro smiled.

"What?" Kennedy blinked in confusion, "I almost decapitated you both."

"That's why our abilities come in handy," Wanda answered, just as amused. Kennedy sat back in her seat and eventually the three of them burst into hysterical giggling and an occasional snort; interesting development indeed. Their shrills and tear wiping subsided into a comfortable silence; the first time since they reunited. The tension and confusion faded into something like understanding and remarkably, trust. She somehow knew Wanda and Pietro would do anything for her and that was all she needed. She found herself admitting that she would help them in return.

"Your powers have grown. And I see you made something for yourself," Wanda observed and she picked up one half of the bow staff. Kennedy leaned back in her seat with her hands behind her head.

"Call it an accessory. I'm no Black Widow, but it can do some serious damage," Kennedy said smugly.

"Were you experimented on as well?" Pietro asked curiously. Oh right; they got their abilities from Baron Von Strucker. Her blood work as a child had the same mutated genetic strain as she did today. That meant she was born like this. Plus those kind of experiments only began with her brother and sister.

"I had this since I was small. How strange," she replied, trailing off into thought. So why was she the only one who had a power naturally? Did that mean she somehow...evolved?

…...

Steve chatted about what else he encountered on his travels with the team, but Bucky wasn't listening. His mind went back to him and Kennedy on the balcony. He grew worried that she would feel neglected or rejected by his proposal to wait a while before...that happened. He didn't doubt that he wanted to...wanted her...badly. He pictured them, feeling every inch of each other, loving each other in that way. But he was concerned about himself. He was a super-soldier, stronger than others, what if he hurt her? What if he lost control? Would she enjoy herself? All these questions picked at his brain.

"Um...have you ever...been with someone?" he cut Steve off in the middle of a story.

"Been with someone? Like a relationship?" Steve asked confused at the sudden change in topic. Geez, this couldn't be more awkward. But it just did.

"In a sense. I mean, have you ever... **been**...with a woman?" The emphasis didn't escape Steve's notice.

"You mean fondue?" The soldier was very lost now. What the hell did that mean?

"Sorry. Just a term I picked up a while back. Have you and Kennedy..." Steve asked awkwardly. His sharp-shooting assassin best friend was asking him for dating advice? Wow. What a time to be alive. But Bucky shook his head, shifting in embarrassment.

"But you want to." No answer said it all.

"She's okay with waiting. She respects that I want to get my act together before then. But I can't help but think that I made her feel...undesirable?" Steve held back a smile at the old-fashioned notion that still existed in his friend. He loved Kennedy deeply to make such a decision unlike the fly-by-night encounters people called relationships these days. Buck didn't realise that he was going to be just fine.

"Buck, the last thing you need is to do it at the wrong time. Take your own advice. Wait until you're sure. Kennedy's a great girl and she will support you in anything. If you're worried about making her feel that way, just do things to reassure her that she's the only thing in your mind." The soldier took in his words and agreed. He could do that.

Back in their room, he found Kennedy walking all over their bed as she spoke with Strange on the phone. He leaned against the wall, his eyes lit with amusement. Her busy habits were endearing to watch and she was oblivious to his presence. She eventually caught his gaze and winked, finishing up the conversation. She sighed, tossed the phone onto the bedside table and knelt on the mattress so she wouldn't be so tall. The soldier took her in his arms and they collapsed onto the bed. She yelped in surprise and laughed as he hovered over her.

"What is **this**?" she chuckled. He brushed his lips over hers gently.

"Practice," he whispered, not kissing her yet even though she was totally anticipating it. Well this was a surprise, she thought.

"Spend the day with me tomorrow?" he asked, playing with her hair.

"The entire day?" she asked. She would choose Grumpy over anything. But they always hung out when she found him early. A whole day with him sounded incredible.

"Just one day?" His lips hovered over hers, agonizingly. She knew what he was doing, playing the game. Not bad Grumps, not bad at all. What he was doing was a basic chemical reaction that equated persuasion. So amazing what a touch of the lips can do to a person. This was his reaction to her earlier attempts so technically she had the upper hand, but she wouldn't let him know that yet. His confidence was a breath of fresh air and she loved it.

"What will do for a whole day?" she asked curiously.

"We'll think of something," he answered.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Sorry it took so long guys! Classes started this week and I had a brief period of writer's block. But here it is! Leave me your thoughts. I also had some ideas for a teen wolf story with Derek/OC. Tell me what you think. Enjoy :)**

The soldier sighed, still heavy with sleep but couldn't ignore the sunlight that peaked through the blinds into their room. He turned over to see that Kennedy was still sound asleep, her lips parted slightly, softly snoring as she gripped the duvet. A fond smile graced his face and he took a few precious moments to admire her before she woke up. The fact that they had gotten so far, after everything they had been through, was still a mystery to him. His hand enveloped hers, the one that rested on the surface of the bed. Even the feeling of her warmth meant a million words; she was here with him, by her own will and desire to simply be here. He smiled at her immediate response to his touch as she sighed and pulled his hand to her chest. Her eyes unexpectedly fluttered open and she flashed him a lazy smile.

"Good morning," she greeted and sat up, stretching. She was in her tank top and he admitted silently to himself that the sight was extremely enticing.

"Hey," he whispered, still lying back against the pillows, "What are we going to do today?"

"No idea," she replied. Grumpy raised an eyebrow in question and she shrugged, "We'll figure it out. It'll be our adventure. Have you ever had New York pizza? I haven't."

"Maybe, back in the day," he considered.

"Pizza it is."

…...

A few hours later, Kennedy gasped. She huffed and slammed her UNO cards onto the bed as Grumpy surveyed her with amusement. She should have known; bloody friendships were ruined over this stupid game. He was winning at every round and she explained it to him just 2 hours before. What was this witchcraft? Whatever it was, she wanted to try.

Their day to themselves started off earlier than expected and consisted mostly of UNO, making out, the Fellowship of the Ring, more making out, several more rounds of cards, ordering a pepperoni and more making out. She felt like sixteen years old again, giddily fooling around with a boy with no distractions or supervision. Grumpy enjoyed it immensely, even being the one to initiate it at times, especially during the movie. They would lie back on the pillows, his arms around her as she had her head on his shoulder. Then, unexpectedly she would feel his lips skimming her jawline.

"We're supposed to be in Middle Earth right now, love," she would chuckle, trying to not give in.

"This movie's long. They're walking now. Five minutes?" he asked, his breath fanning her skin. She caved of course.

"Fiveminutes," she mumbled and they weren't surprised that they missed 15 minutes of the movie and the Balrog was already chasing them to the bridge.

Right now, however, UNO was going south.

"You're cheating!" she pointed at him accusingly.

"No, I'm not," Grumpy shook his head, a tiny smile betraying him. One eyebrow shot up challengingly and she straddled him, taking hold his arm so she could search up his sleeve. He didn't fight her, looking guilty as she pulled a wild card and a draw four card from his long sleeve. She looked at him in disbelief. Did he really just do that? She held them in front of his face, one hand on her hip.

"What the hell is this?" she asked. He looked at the cards and then at her, simply shrugging.

"That's it?" He nodded.

"Ok," she said, climbing off of him and taking a bite of the pizza, "No more making out for the day. The entire day." Grumpy's partially smug face fell at the sound of such a notion. He sincerely hoped that she wasn't being serious. She appeared to eat her slice blissfully as she relaxed against the headboard. His expression became pleading as he ran his hand up and down her leg apologetically. He loved her legs...very much. During their day, he realised that more and more.

"I'm sorry," he told her innocently, like a child asking for forgiveness. She looked away and chomped down again. He admitted to himself that he enjoyed these little games with her; it was like getting to know her all over again. He now got a glimpse of her competitive side, found out that she never tasted authentic New York pizza (without so much cheese) and her love for the fantasy genre. All of these little things were endearing to him and she got a peek at some of his traits as well. He liked extra hot sauce on his food, on everything actually since he even put some on his crisps. Just being with her, not within the confines of HYDRA and being watched by Steve Rogers and his peers was refreshing. He could stay like this forever. He placed a soft kiss on her shoulder and she playfully shrugged him off. He tried again and eventually pinned her on her back playfully, her half a slice dangling in her hand. She sighed and put it into the almost empty box beside them.

"My breath smells like pizza," she commented.

"So does mine," he replied, his lips eagerly crashing with hers. Yep; definitely like teenagers.

…...

Steve admitted that while Bucky and Kennedy spent the day together, he was bored out of his mind. The two of them hadn't come out of their room except to collect their pizza and other junk food paraphernalia. He found himself musing over the idea of what it was like to be with someone, to be in love, dating. The only time he came close was with Peggy, but fate had a different path for the two of them. Peggy represented what he could have had, were he not a soldier and a part of him that still yearned for that state of normalcy. Would he ever have that? Could he? To be honest, since his resurrection from the ice, he pushed away every woman he encountered since then. Potentials like Romanoff, Agent 13, even the everyday waitress who took pity on him because of his thousand yard stare weren't allowed into his heart. He always questioned himself as to why that was. Was it because he didn't want to pull someone innocent into his world? Or was it that his heart would forever be on the battlefield? But he was happy that his friend no longer experienced this kind of loneliness. If anyone deserved someone, it was Bucky.

Tony emerged from his lab and unceremoniously plopped himself down beside the super soldier on the couch, handing him a beer that he gladly accepted. It was obvious that he was bored without Kennedy around and their teammates were busy elsewhere in different realms or on co-op missions.

"It's quiet, isn't it?" Steve commented.

"Why do you think? I soundproofed their room," Tony replied nonchalantly, taking a sip. Steve coughed slightly in alarm.

"Um..."

"It was just a precaution. We're not all nuns like you."

"They're not...It's none of our business anyway. Are we really talking about this?"

"We're using verbs and nouns and adjectives so yeah." The sound of the door jolted them from their friendly banter and Romanoff waltzed in, still clad in her leather cat-suit after returning from a mission in Sarajevo.

"You two confessing your love for each other?" she asked sarcastically, sitting on the coffee table in front of them with a cold beer in her hands.

"I was about to when you rudely interrupted. Such a cockblock as usual," Tony retorted to Steve's annoyance, "Anyway I gotta bounce. I have a dinner with Pepper's parents. God help me." With that, he left Steve alone with the Russian spy.

"Barnes still occupied?" she questioned. Steve nodded with a smile on his face.

"They deserve a day off with all the hell they've been through." he replied with a fond smile that recognizably faded into what looked like sadness.

"What about you? Did you have a day off yet?" He knew what Natasha was asking him and he felt a slight pang in his chest. The thing with being an Avenger was that finding stability and normalcy was almost impossible. Whoever wanted to be with him, whoever she could be would eventually want him to give up this life of saving the world, of aliens, rogue governments and vigilantes. He was completely torn. The lifestyle he lived was undoubtedly a drug; the excitement, the adrenaline pumping through him, the pride in saving lives and preserving his world. It was a part of him now and always will be; how could he give it up? But he thought about the possibilities of being with someone? Was it worth it?

"Don't think I'm getting one anytime soon," he finally spoke up with a poor attempt at a smile on his face. Natasha stoically considered his response and set the bottle beside her. She leaned forward, as if to tell him a secret.

"Do me a favour, Steve. Don't be like me," she said. Steve's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"I push people away. You know that. And I ended up losing the one person I really cared about when he wanted to make things right. It may be over for me, but not for you. Don't miss out on something because you're afraid."

"What makes you think I'm afraid? What's there to be afraid of?"

"You're afraid of being normal. You think that if you let someone in, you'd get hurt and show that you're just like everyone else; vulnerable...human. And the last time you experienced that, you were a little kid from Brooklyn. And that's a place you don't want to go back to because you feel like he didn't make a difference. You'll always be a hero, Steve. In so many different ways you always will be." Steve tried to wipe the look of shock from his face at Natasha's heart-felt advice. Where the hell did that come from? However, it didn't stop him from thinking on her words. Maybe that **was** his real fear after all. Before he opened his mouth to speak, she smiled and said, "You're welcome." After that, she left him alone with his thoughts and a decision to make.

…...

After doing every activity they could think of, they resorted to a casual thumb war. It was adorable to see Grumpy's intense concentration as he tried to dodge her quick finger. However, no matter how many times she won, she ended up losing in another way. When she had his thumb pinned down, grinning in victory, he would use their entwined hands to pull her closer to kiss her. Relatively speaking, he won. Every time.

Then they relaxed, Kennedy settling into her soldier's arms. They watched the light through the windows fade from its orange-pink glow to the calmness of night's peppered sky. Not bothering to turn on the lights, they enjoyed the silence of the room and each other's steady, calm breathing.

"We should get a dog," she spoke suddenly.

"Just like that?" he asked her bewildered.

"A puppy more specifically."

"Would Tony allow animals in here?"

"Not sure. I don't think so. There are other places though." He met her eyes, waiting for her to continue.

"I know we're staying here for a while. But maybe...in a few months...or a year...if you want, we could get our own place. My flat is still there in London. Or we can get a place in New York. I don't know." He felt her become insecure about her proposition and they both sat up, contemplating.

Kennedy felt stupid; she couldn't just spring that on him when he was just starting to settle here. She was so stupid. Now she was being a demanding, clingy bitch who had overwhelming desires for the future. She didn't doubt that he would do anything for her, but she had to focus on him now.

"Forget I said it Grumpy. It's dumb," she reassured herself more than she did him.

He thought about it. Would it be so bad if they started over? All by themselves? It would certainly be another adventure for the both of them; no Avengers or anyone to guide them. It was different to being on the run since they now had to think of a way to be at peace and to build themselves a home from the ground up. They had to do normal things; pay bills, taxes, find jobs or something to do, hopefully get married? What if children came into the picture in a few years? Those thoughts made him both nervous and gearing with excitement. It was challenging, outside of his comfort zone, but not in a negative way.

"I think I'd like a dog," he told her seriously. She looked him and burst out into laughter, taking his hand in hers.

"We have all the time in the world," he breathed, kissing her on her temple. Kennedy smiled in agreement. Time and a whole world to figure it out sounded like the way to go.

…...

As they slept peacefully, they remained oblivious to the stone that radiated underneath their bed. It didn't take a lot of effort to find her; the worthy one. The Avengers didn't even take notice of its presence nor its ability to move from room to room. What mattered was that she was here. The stone released the softer parts of its energy into the atmosphere, the green wisps of matter sailing on the air. It approached the sleeping girl cautiously, whispering and enticing her. The wisps settled on her forehead without any trouble.

Then Kennedy dreamt in green.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Is anyone alive out there?! Sorry for such a long wait. Uni is killing me at the moment and I'm trying to find a job and it's a big mess. I'm still trying to sort my life out. But anyway, as usual, leave me your thoughts! You may find it a bit short but it's essential that you pay attention to the small details ok? *hint hint* Peace and love :)**

She didn't know where she was. She was in a city; one that she didn't recognize. There was too much black, too much soot and half standing buildings. Nothing, no sign of life was in sight. She looked around in confusion; was this New York, London, some potential future? Ash and floating bits of metallic debris swirled around her and she suddenly coughed from inhaling the toxic air. Nightmares from her childhood, being alone in prison, did not compare to the despair she felt at this moment. She had no idea what had happened but one thing was for sure; she knew somehow that she had failed. Failed in doing what? She wasn't sure. Turning down a street, she gasped at a new sight in front of her. Countless corpses, mangled, beaten and burnt littered the roads. Some groaned in their last moments, trying to cling to their final breaths and the inklings of life left. She sank down on her knees, tears flowing endlessly at the gruesome pain she beheld, looking into the sky for an answer. 'How could you let this happen?' She asked no one in particular, wondering if there even was a God if all this suffering was happening. But as her eyes searched upwards for a sign, she found it. She covered her mouth in horror, taking in the ruins of the Avengers Tower, falling to the earth piece by piece.

"You could stop this. **We**...could stop this," an echoing voice, gentle and sympathetic offered her. She spun around frantically, looking for the source. She felt its energy brush her shoulder and she turned around again, frustrated. Whatever it was, it was a coward. It refused to show itself when all this chaos raged around her; another reminder that fate was cruel, giving her the last laugh at her failure to save everyone.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, ignoring the fire spreading in her throat. A quick rush of wind blew past her and she finally met with the mysterious entity. She blinked several times to make sure what she was seeing was real. Before her was a kind of life form, green and luminous, swirling on the wind gracefully. It had no face, no distinguishable form, just hovering in front of her waiting for an answer.

"We could stop this," its voice was much clearer now, a raspy but inviting sound. Despite its presence which baffled her beyond words, she didn't pick up on any maliciousness. She got the impression that it was almost helpful.

"We?" Her question coming out as a croak from the smoke and screaming.

"You have the power to stop this. Only you could wield..."

"Wield what?"

"Me." A tiny, green, oval shaped stone hovered in front of her and she couldn't help herself, hypnotized by the great power that was inches away from her. She stretched out her hand to take it.

Kennedy's eyes opened suddenly, breathing heavily as she clutched the duvet to her chest. She looked around, her eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room. Her room. Grumpy's and her room. She wiped away the sweat from her brow and shifted slightly to become comfortable again. But everything felt wrong; the duvet felt too heavy, she felt lumps on the mattress that she hadn't paid attention to before, the material of her big t-shirt rubbing irritatingly against her skin.

Sensing her movements and distress, the soldier shrugged off the remnants of sleep and looked at Kennedy with concern. She didn't look right at all. He sat up and took her face gently in his hands, a bit shocked that she flinched slightly. Maybe his hands were too cold. Her eyes met his, flickering nervously as he caressed her face.

"What's wrong? Are you alright? You're shaking," he observed worriedly.

"I-" she couldn't form words.

"Nightmare?" He asked gently. He knew how those could be; the process of dreaming was terrifying as one experienced a totally different reality, not being able to differentiate between what was real and constructed by your consciousness. His nightmares were the same. He remembered the cold, the pain of HYDRA's physical abuse for insubordination and the fear. He saw those similar emotions raging in Kennedy's eyes as she confirmed. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and nodded.

"Tell me," he told her. She bit her lip contemplating. They weren't going to keep secrets from each other anymore. But as she opened her mouth, she was cut off by an urgent knock on the door. They didn't wait for a reply and came in anyway. Pietro and Wanda walked in, their expressions confused as they took in their youngest triplet's dishevelled state. The soldier couldn't help but sigh at their presence; this used to be a private room.

"Why are you guys here?" Kennedy groaned at the light streaming through the hallway.

"We felt..." Pietro trailed off, glancing at Wanda for her to explain what took place several moments ago. But their sister was lost for words as well. Not long before, she had been fast asleep, not dreaming so much until she was hit by a wave of urgency and panic. She scrambled out of her bed only to find Pietro in the hallway with the same idea. They bolted for Dania's room and here they were.

Wanda sat on the bed cautiously, not breaking away from her sister's puzzled gaze. Her eyes narrowed and she asked, "What was your dream about?"

Kennedy thought she probably read her mind but then again; why else would one be up so late?

"It was New York...devastated...so many bodies..." Her eyebrows then scrunched together when she thought about how to explain the next part, "then there was this green thing."

"What green thing?" Grumpy coaxed her to continue for Wanda.

"Some kind of...being? I don't know."

"What did it want?"

"It didn't want to hurt me. It was so strange. It wanted me to 'wield it', to help it. I don't think it was evil."

"How do you know that, Dania? What if it was tricking you?" Kennedy paused to consider the possibility; but she didn't get that feeling at all. It was almost as if it were just as desperate to save the world as she was.

"There was stone..." She trailed off, looking away from everyone's confused expressions. Normally, family would comfort you and brush off the insignificance of dream symbolism, blaming it on stress or something. But she refused to leave it be; it meant something. It had to.

"A stone?" Pietro asked doubtfully.

"Everything in this dream was fucked up, okay?" She grunted and ran a hand over her face. Grumpy squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and looked at her siblings.

"We'll discuss this in the morning," he said monotonously and they knew that was their cue to leave. Wanda looked at him sternly.

"Come get us if anything else happens," she instructed to which the soldier nodded firmly. The room was then enveloped in darkness and silence.

"You're exhausted. Let's go back to sleep," he offered.

"I don't want to see that again," she muttered. His heart broke a little that she was afraid to sleep. What could he do to make her feel safer? He decided to give something a try. He lay back and brought her head to his chest and started to speak softly in Russian. During his time with HYDRA, his superiors hadn't allowed him to experience any form of culture; no films, no music or anything that could possibly make him feel emotion. Until one day, he waited in his medic's office in Moscow while on a mission. The doctor had excused himself from the room to get some equipment and he got curious when he saw a leather bound book on the large oak desk in front of him. He ran his metal fingers over the gilded words of the cover; Великие произведения А.С.Пушкина or _The Great Works of Alexander Pushkin_. He flipped through the pages curiously and read a poem called "I loved you". Words hadn't touched him until that day. His eyes ran over every image and feeling so he would remember it when he left.

The soldier repeated the words to Kennedy, happy that her tense muscles were uncoiling with the sound of his voice.

 _I loved you, and I probably still do,_  
 _And for a while the feeling may remain..._  
 _But let my love no longer trouble you,_  
 _I do not wish to cause you any pain._  
 _I loved you; and the hopelessness I knew,_  
 _The jealousy, the shyness - though in vain -_  
 _Made up a love so tender and so true_  
 _As may God grant you to be loved again._

When he was done, he was satisfied by her steady, deep breathing.

...

Steve walked around Central Park often in the morning. While the tower was a place that had all the necessities, the things that took care of his physical needs, it wasn't properly suited for the pandemonium in his head. He took in the sounds of the rustling trees and the distant rhythms of the city as people went about their daily routines. He preferred to be in the deeper parts of the park where he wouldn't be so disturbed by the crowds. It wasn't that he hated people; he just liked the silence and to slip away from hoards of children who recognised him. If only they knew. 'I want to be just like you when I grow up. You're my hero!,' is what he heard almost every day. He refrained from telling them the truth, wanting them to cling to their innocence just a while longer. He found himself envying them somehow as their ignorance of all the chaos around them was definitely their bliss. He remembered a time like that in his younger days; but then the war came. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, rubbing his eyes in stress. However, he didn't notice that he acquired the smallest audience.

A sweet sound filled the air and Steve's confused expression snapped up to find a petite brunette with a wide smile on her face, hands moving fluidly as she controlled the melodies of her navy blue violin. She swayed gently as her arms moved the bow back and forth, and as her fingers moved expertly across the notes on its neck. He didn't question why she was playing for him alone, seeing her case packed up and closed behind her. He then realised that she didn't want money from him.

He didn't dare to tear his eyes away from her. He tried to figure out what song it was but gave up since she was probably playing a contemporary piece from nowadays, those he was unfamiliar with. He didn't mind though because she was great. Incredible, he corrected himself.

She smiled even wider as the jaded man started to beam at her, bobbing his head slightly to her music. She decided to go the extra mile and dance. Granted that she was possibly the worst dancer in the universe, her uncoordinated and crazy steps making him laugh. He covered his mouth with one hand, failing at laughing too loud in delight. His face even turned red which made it so worth the embarrassment. She brought her final notes to an end and did a last spin, her short skirt flowing around her. At least it added a great effect. She found him clapping and a few people across the park who stopped to observe her from afar. She grinned and bowed playfully. She grabbed her case and put her instrument inside with reverence before sitting next to the man.

"You're very talented. That was amazing," he complimented. Her eyes held a bit of uncertainty and she held a finger up to signal for him to hold that thought. She reached into a pocket of the violin case and took out a notebook and pen, scrawling some letters. He quickly wiped off his initial shock and confusion.

"Sorry," she said, her voice small and slightly off but friendly and sweet nonetheless.

"No-no it's fine. I said you were amazing. Thank you for playing for me," he replied with a soft smile. She looked at his mouth closely and wrote.

"You're welcome. At least it got you to smile." He chuckled breathily and nodded.

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you play when you can't...?"

"I like to see people's reactions. It helps me learn. If I'm doing something wrong I can tell by their faces. But when I see them smile, I see that I'm doing something right. I read lips well, plus I don't have to hear to make people smile." Steve looked at her stunned and she snickered.

"What?" She asked with her voice innocently.

"Nothing. Just...wow. But why me?" He asked. She cocked her head to the side, scribbled her response and held the book up to him.

"I just thought you could use one today. Did it work?" He nodded.

"I'm Steve," he clearly articulated for her and held out his hand for her to take. She instantly took a liking to his old fashioned approach, rather than the normal, standing awkwardly and saying hi. She let his large, firm hand envelope hers. She wrote quickly on the paper 'EMMA'.

…...

Vision floated just above the Earth's atmosphere, taking in the noises of the lives below. That was the first thing he experienced when he became sentient. The soft echoes of a city's nightlife still resonate with his young mind; a child being brought into the world, an ambulance rushing through the streets and musicians bustling for change. The day he was born, he absorbed every vibration around him, this moment being no different. He liked to admire the humans from afar this way, to see how small but influential they truly were.

A slightly pulsing sensation caught his attention, an almost insignificant sign on some corner of the world. What was it? Where was it coming from? Flying down to the blue and green planet, ignoring the irritating heat from re-entering the atmosphere, he pursued that curious feeling, following its kinetic wave-like patterns on the winds. He found himself approaching a familiar continent, then a familiar city: New York. Interesting enough, the Avengers Tower came into view. He gently banked left and came to a floating halt on the quinjet platform, continuing on to the main room. It was so close now, but where was it? Were his teammates aware of such a power in their presence? Tony jogged in, surprised.

"Friday gave me an alert. Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" He asked the android. The rest of the team weren't far behind and he vaguely placed an unfamiliar face; a tall man with long brown hair and a metal arm who stood next to Steve Rogers.

"There's something very powerful in this place. More powerful than you could possibly comprehend," Vision said, looking around. He was about to follow the source down the hallway until the sensation became more evident, its strongest as a young, white haired girl stepped into the room. He stopped in his tracks just as she did.

"What's going on?" She asked with an odd look on her face.

So he was mistaken. It wasn't a what, but a who.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: I know it's been a month guys, but HAPPY EASTER! Sorry again for being late. I've been sorting out my travel plans for Easter, watching and re-watching Daredevil Season 2 which has been making me think of a Punisher fanfic (inbox me if you wanna fangirl about the season!) and studying for exams. We're getting to the climax of the story and *hint hint* ANOTHER MARVEL CHARACTER WILL BE COMING SOON! Please leave me your thoughts. Enjoy!**

In his short lifetime, Vision was rarely surprised. With him being a synthetic, sentient android and his team consisting of two HYDRA experiments, a famous Norse deity, a super soldier, his genius maker, a green monster and two spies, he didn't think anything would come close to stunning him as the extraordinary seemed completely mundane to him. But as he laid his mechanical, sharp eyes on the young, white haired girl in the room, he was left...what was the term? Speechless? She was petite, an innocent appearance that gave no inkling of the power she held. She looked so cautious, so confused as to what was taking place. Was she even aware of what was happening? Her green eyes roamed up and down his body, wondering. Who was he? Why did he say that? The tension in the room rolled off in waves and seemed to affect everyone, his eyes shifting to Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, the former in particular. The twins' posture gravitated towards the strange girl, their auras fierce and worried. His mind went back and forth between them as he tried to find a connection. Then, he realised. The same age, her resemblance, their missing sister; Wanda would have to fill him in later.

A man with a metal arm stood closely behind her, stepping forward slightly as he assessed him, the new intruder. He could tell he didn't like the way he was looking at her, his hand twitching slightly.

"What did you mean? You know what's happening?" She stepped forward and he almost pitied her as her expression turned into one of desperation. Her ears became slightly red from stress and her eyes widened in the hopes that he would prove her right.

"I believe the pieces are falling into place. I do not believe that we have had the privilege of meeting. I'm..." He started cordially.

"Vision. Wanda told me about you. I'm Kennedy," she cut him off, not rudely in any way. His eyes made his way to Wanda's and looked away quickly. Now wasn't the time to indulge. He needed to do business and find answers.

"Kennedy," he played with the name, "I was drawn here by your energy but there's...something missing...something else," he trailed off, taking in the room, walking around to gage where that feeling came from. At the corner of his eyes, he saw the man with the metal arm wrap his arm around her waist protectively, looking at her with worry.

"I had a dream last night," Kennedy blurted. He stopped in his tracks, his head turning to hers. Only then did she notice; the shining, pulsing yellow gem above his eyes.

Her lips parted slightly in realisation and questioning. She didn't say anything for several moments, almost hypnotised as she beheld the endless depths of yellow energy. It was so captivating, like a kaleidoscope of different shades of yellow, shining and full of light, just like its green counterpart; so many possibilities in the gem. She didn't even blink. Grumpy squeezed her waist gently to get her attention, to snap her out of it but she didn't budge.

"Kennedy," he vocalised his concern and turned her face to his. She blinked several times and shook her head slightly, mumbling an apology.

"That's what I saw," she said pointing to his head, "but it was green. It talked to me..."

Vision contemplated this revelation. So she came into contact with a gem like his; a world conquering power. If that were possible, how could she have survived? A sudden shiver travelled down his spine and his attention went sharply from her to the empty hallway.

The Avengers confusingly but obligingly parted for their newest member as he seemed to follow a feeling. They stared as he stopped outside a room; Kennedy and Bucky's room. His fingertips were tingling, his hand clenching and unclenching. For one who was now discovering the concept of emotions, he found himself becoming frustrated. Where was it? He took in the sheets smoothed down and the duvet folded neatly on the bed; not there. Drawers were empty, nothing in the bathroom and he almost decided to brush it off as an error with his programming. However, he stopped and looked to the space between the bed and floor. He knelt down cautiously, his mind telling him to move on. But there it was; in its raw, green form, a rock that stirred much curiosity and worry. He grabbed it and had to steel himself in order to not succumb to the amount of energy pulsing through his synthetic body. He shut his eyes, stifling a groan as he felt it travel to his muscles, his mind, enhancing his entire being and everything around him. There was no doubt that this was the reaction of the two stones meeting. He could feel them reaching towards each other, wanting to become whole. Never before had he felt so much power. The human concept of temptation regrettably infiltrated his database, the longer he spent time amongst them, but he knew control; he understood the vitality of control. He shook off the feeling and decided to return to his anxious allies before they did something rash.

Making his way to the group, he stopped a good distance for their safety and opened his palm slowly for them to see. The expressions on their faces were actually comical. He wouldn't blame them; they had no comprehension of the significance, the intensity, the potential for destruction and ruin in such a miniscule object.

"How...anti-climactic," Tony sighed. Vision looked up at him sharply, even in a scolding manner.

"Don't let appearances fool you. You should know that better than anyone," he replied ominously. That shut Tony up immediately. Kennedy stepped forward, leaving the protective arms of her soldier, who refrained from dragging her away from that thing in Vision's hand. He glared at the android, hating him for encouraging something that could possibly endanger her. This was something not meant for this world, let alone her. She was now tapping in to her powers; how could she possibly take on this force?

"That's Tesla's power source," she whispered to herself in shock. Her eyes continued to dance over the rock, glazing over as the soft light called and whispered to her. She didn't think she would see this again as she passed it off as a just a battery to launch her A.I. She couldn't have known how PROJECT INSIGHT was connected to all this.

Vision took notice of the stone's response to her proximity and vice versa. Very interesting. But something else puzzled him.

"Pardon my ignorance, but who is Tesla?" He asked politely, temporarily pulling her thoughts back to reality.

"I am," an electronic voice said from above them. The team hadn't heard from him in a while. 'He's like me; the former me. JARVIS,' Vision thought curiously.

"Is this your source of power my friend?" He asked his electronic counterpart, looking upwards. The JARVIS side of him found the idea of another intelligence very welcoming.

"Yes." Another thought occurred to Vision. If this A.I was like Vision...

"Do you feel?" Tesla did not respond immediately, as if pondering the question.

"Yes, he does," the soldier spoke up confidently. All eyes turned to him in confusion. How would he know that? Vision nodded to him, allowing him to elaborate. The brooding man who he noticed stuck closely to Kennedy and had some sort of relationship with her, stepped forward.

"I asked him that before. He does...feel. In his own way. It's loyalty, it's concern. He feels...almost human. For her. I understand better than most what that's like." He met Kennedy's eyes, his tense jaw slackening, his expression becoming gentle and gratifying. The team noted that Tesla said nothing to prove otherwise. So did this mean that the stone somehow gave him a consciousness, a soul? Just like what the mind stone did for him. Was this a soul gem? They needed more information on this newest development; an expert on the events taking place in the cosmos, a certain thunder god needed to return to their world.

…...

Thor was summoned unexpectedly to Midgard, as a matter of urgency, according to Heimdall. The blonde haired god had given his teammates instructions to summon him if need be by just alerting Heimdall of their desire to see him. The bifrost slingshotted him across the realms in its beautiful, chaotic clashes of colours and stars. The force ripped through the fabric of space and went still when he had firm footing on the platform of the Avengers' Tower quinjet entrance. With Mjolnir in his firm and determined grip, he went in search of the team, to find them assembled in Kennedy and the soldier's apartment floor. However, they were joined by the Vision and the twins. It seemed he missed out a lot, but for good reason. He was searching for answers regarding the infinity stones, the world conquering powers that mysteriously found their way to the lone blue and green planet in the universe. Earth as a host planet was not in any way random. From what he found, the stones had minds of their own, seeking out certain people in the cosmos, under the watchful eye of higher powers or cosmic beings who controlled everything.

He got no greeting, no warm welcome, only a sea of worried and pensive eyes. His gaze fell upon Vision and Lady Walsh, the former holding something in his hand. A rock, volcanic but emitting a green light. Something powerful lurked inside, waiting to be released. Another stone? As if reading his mind, the Vision confirmed his belief with a slow, firm nod.

His teammates let him in on everything. Due to the stone's apparent magnetic connection to the Lady Walsh, he needed to tell her everything he found and she had to let him know the effects of its power.

"I must speak with the Lady Walsh alone," he announced. Kennedy started to follow him, but turned back to place a hand on her soldier's chest to stop him. He looked down at her pleadingly.

"I need to do this. Do you trust me?" She asked softly as he put his hand overs hers, gently squeezing.

"Yes," he replied. She smiled half-heartedly and pecked him quickly on the lips. Thor held back a smile; so he **did** miss a lot while he was away. Their happiness and honesty was good to see. It reminded him of himself and his Jane who was currently working but anxiously awaiting his return.

They went to the floor below, sitting on the empty leather couches. He noted how nervous she was, the twitchy fingers, finding the tiled floor so fascinating.

"I-" he started.

"What does it want with me? Why me?" She rushed, her voice quivering slightly. He saw slight traces of concern, even fear. He gave her an encouraging look.

"From my travels, I have discovered the legends and dealings with these stones. There are six. Four on Earth; the tesseract, formerly the Aether, the mind...and now this one. There have been events taking place in another galaxy surrounding a fifth, but I have received word that a group of particularly skilled individuals have secured it. They prevented the destruction of a planet much like this one from being destroyed," he explained. Kennedy's lip turned up slightly.

"Like Space Avengers? I knew there was more out there in space," she said. Thor chuckled at her interpretation.

"Yes, a group much like us."

"But you didn't answer my question. Why me? These stones are a big deal, aren't they? They're really powerful..." Her eyes became concerned once again.

"From my understanding, these stones acted as mediums, through which the cosmic beings who created the universe, channelled their power, controlling the fate of all people, every living thing; just as how people on Earth conceptualised God and his will over man. These stones were not meant for just anyone, not mortals. Thousands of years ago, something happened, a terrible war drove them from the cosmos, abandoning their duties and presence as masters of the universe. However, within the realm they reside, they use the stones to find those worthy and powerful enough to take on that task. To keep the cosmos in balance. I believe you were literally born for this stone. It's your destiny. Fate brought you to this exact moment in time."

All Kennedy did was blink, many times. She shifted, her body, her clothes, her hair, everything about her feeling suddenly wrong and awkward. She licked her lips to relieve it of its chapped patches and the annoying lump in her throat seemed to only grow bigger every time she swallowed. She was some kind of ambassador to these "beings"? A guardian of the galaxy which sounded like a terrible boy band name? Like what the actual fuck? This wasn't real. She had a telekinetic ability, okay fine. But that didn't make her some all-time power house. She didn't even know much aside from what Strange taught her. She didn't realise that she said this out loud, until Thor sighed. He looked like he was waiting for her denial.

"I'm not worthy. I've...done stupid, bad shit. I've been selfish; I tried to betray my country for God's sake. I'm not a...hero like you guys. I just came here to stop myself from hurting anyone else," the last part made her voice break.

"You only see the bad. Don't you see the good in your life, my lady Walsh? You stopped HYDRA from killing thousands, reunited your family. You saved and now love a man who many believed was not worth saving. If anyone is a hero, it is you." She closed her eyes, a tear escaping. This was all so...big. Even though she hated her jail cell, it was a safe place. Familiar walls, a secure set of bars and in its own way, her quiet corner of the world. But after everything, she knew that she couldn't go back to that place. She had so much going for her. She couldn't give up now, now that she had someone who needed her just as much as she needed him. This may have been her problem, but now she had a love and a team who was willing to share it with her.

…...

Vision had given her the stone, to see if she could communicate with it further. But something was off. She sat at the desk in her and Grumpy's room, twiddling it in her hands, becoming familiar with its shape. It was an odd form, nothing like Vision's mind stone. Then an idea cropped up in her mind. She smashed it again the surface, watching the small fragments fall around her. What was left was astonishing. Her eyes widened, as the tiny, oval shaped green gem from her dreams hovered in front of her, floating gently on the air. She wasn't even using her powers for it. It really did have a mind of its own. She gently nudged it with her finger, letting it float over her fingers, much like the trick she did with her coin. For some reason, she got the feeling that it liked her. Its energy was not threatening her as she felt slight shocks of electricity on her fingertips. It was introducing itself. She stayed that way for ages, looking into the depths of this tiny but significant stone.

The soldier once again experienced a helplessness and powerlessness. This situation was now much bigger than HYDRA, PROJECT INSIGHT, the Avengers, all of it. What was going to happen now? He found himself wanting to whisk her away, keeping her safe from this exposure to power, to dreams, to superheroes. There was too much at stake now. They had no idea what they were dealing with. As he went to their room to wait for her, he stopped in the doorway, watching her with the stone, which was now in its original form. He took in the scattered bits of volcanic rock around her, his heart heavy with worry as he took in her trance like state. She was here, but not here. His eyes burned with agony, his head leaning against the doorpost. His pocket buzzed and he looked at the silent message.

"I'm worried," Tesla told him.

"Me too," he whispered back, hoping he was strong enough for this coming threat, a threat of taking her over.

...

Later that night, Kennedy dreamt in green once again.


	35. Chapter 35

The sun eclipsed ominously above her. This brilliant star was the life support of the earth, a constant beacon; something humans looked up to as a symbol of light and hope. But now, that hope was being destroyed cruelly by the looming shadow that covered it. The ashes that floated in the air started to suffocate her as she made her way through the ruins of the cityscape. She was here again in this nightmare, once again powerless to do anything. The wind stingingly whipped about her, little drops of blood forming on her dirty cheeks from the miniscule but sharp debris. She brought her jacket around her tighter for both warmth and comfort; but those did not exist in a place like this. Everything was cold, harsh, wishing you death and oblivion. So she trudged through the black sand in despairing silence, almost drowning in the heaping dunes of what once was.

Why was she back here? What else did she have to behold besides her failure...or the aftermath of her destruction? The thought made her heart race exponentially in utter panic. What if she really did this? Her training with Strange, her confidence, the support of the team; it had all gone to waste. Did this mean that she couldn't be saved? Was the stone tricking her? Was it wrong about her so called destiny?

"You didn't cause this," that familiar soft voice came from behind her. She glared at the fluid like green-being angrily. Was this another cryptic lesson to be learnt? Some damn thing she had to figure out on her own? She had enough problems on her plate as it was; she really didn't appreciate this nonsense.

"Why have you brought me here again? What is this?! What do you want from me?!" She screamed over the roaring wind desperately. She couldn't stand the death around her; it was an unforgettable stench, a stain, something that stayed with you forever.

"You need to understand why you see this. This could happen...in a possible future...if we do not succeed." The voice was strangely sympathetic, like comforting a child. Was there really some kind of cosmic being behind this energy? If there was...

"If you're so powerful, why can't you come here and help? Is it such a long trip to take? Too lazy?" She didn't mean to snap but she waited for its reply anyway.

"I can't," was all it could give her. She scoffed in annoyance and held back some very unflattering words.

"And if we do? What happens if we succeed?" The scene before her instantly dissolved and rippled away. It was like a veil had been pierced through reality and she just stepped through to the other side. She was suddenly shielding her eyes from sunlight, a pleasant warmth on her skin. The sky was no longer blackened, but a cloudless cerulean blue. She looked around and sighed with relief at the shades of green in the trees and the parks; families and little children enjoyed themselves in the welcoming weather, enjoying various activities. The buildings were erected where and how they should have been, standing tall and bustling with activity. Everything was normal, peaceful. Like how it would be when she woke up from this scary mind trip.

"It's how it looks today. The same..." She revelled in the scenario before her. It had to stay this way, no matter what, she told herself.

"Yes. A future untainted by evil. We can achieve this." She turned around in slight disbelief.

"How? You're asking to take me over, aren't you? That is where this is going." She admitted that the thought scared her. What if it did something she refused? What if she wouldn't be the same?

"No. We need to do this...together...as one...acceptance...trust. Something is coming. We need to be ready. A Black Sky will soon engulf all you hold dear. Be on guard for the Black Sky."

With that, Kennedy's green eyes found a plain, dimly lit ceiling. Her heart raced but she kept her breathing as steady and quiet as possible. She turned her head to see Grumpy sleeping soundly on his side, his arm lazing across her stomach, as if he thought she would slip away from him at any moment. Their experiences taught them that that was entirely possible; and it made them even more precious. That was when she started to cry. If what the stone said was true, Grumpy and everyone else; her brother, sister, Steve, Tony, Banner and the others could be taken from her. Why couldn't she have a normal life? One free from so much weight. She thought of what mobs used to do to their victims, drowning them by attaching cement blocks to their ankles with no chance of escape. That was how it felt; being sucked down into this inescapable cycle of destiny and world conquering stones and threats.

She also couldn't take her mind off of Grumpy. He just started living for himself, becoming human once again. He was doing so well. Little by little everyday, he showed progress by socialising more with the team, accepting her siblings, bonding with Steve, even his relationship with Tony Stark seemed to take a more positive turn. She was beyond proud and she wasn't going to let this worry him further and undo all he had achieved. She and the team were going to end this once and for all. Maybe the stone was right. She had to accept that it was a part of her life now...and she was going to help it stop whatever was coming to destroy them.

…...

The soldier's eyes opened in question when he felt the cool, empty side of the bed underneath his hand. He sat up and looked around for Kennedy, to find her sitting in a chair she moved to the window. She was still in her big t-shirt and shorts, her arms wrapped around her legs and chin resting on her knees; but she looked exceedingly distracted. She didn't register any of his movements around her, simply staring into the tiny but unfathomable depths of power that she held between her two fingers. Worry seized his heart and he slipped out of the bed slowly to make his way over to her. She continued to stare at the object and he instantly recognised the look she used to get when her brain was at work, trying to pick apart and unlock all its secrets.

"Hey," he breathed softly in greeting, hoping she would hear him. To his relief, she looked up at him and smiled that smile she only reserved for him. He knelt in front of her and took her unoccupied hand. He couldn't help but cast a quick glare at the stone in her other one.

"Did you sleep alright?" He asked.

"I didn't wake you up, now did I," she stated with a small laugh. Her attempt at sarcasm and joking fell flat when he gave her a huff. She rolled her eyes and pecked him on the lips.

"Such a grouch. I slept well, thank you," she said. However, he found himself unsatisfied with her answer. She was definitely holding something back, but this time he didn't pry. The last thing she needed was feeling like she was being backed into a corner. She would tell him in her own time...hopefully.

"I'll make you something to eat," he said and pulled her up from the chair. She looked mildly surprised.

"You don't cook," she said comically.

"I've seen you do it many times." His confidence made it sound legit; besides, it would give her some time to think.

"Lead the way," she smiled and let him drag her to the kitchen. She slipped the stone into her pocket; she wasn't letting it out of her sight.

Thankfully, the sight of a badass ex-assassin making her breakfast allowed her a temporary relief from the anxiety she felt. He did everything perfectly from memory, even her mannerisms were seeping into his techniques; spreading the butter before jelly, tapping his foot to a mental rhythm. He looked back at her every few moments to look for her approval, to which she nodded encouragingly. He was literally the best boyfriend on the planet, priding herself on the good luck she had. He was all hers and vice versa. As she bounced her leg up and down which was a habit she had when sitting for a long time, she felt the weight of the stone moving with her. She stopped immediately and refrained from reaching into her pocket. She knew what people would think; that she was going all Frodo Baggins on the thing, but she wasn't. She knew the difference between addiction and wanting to know more. She wanted to know her next move, more information on what was coming. What was this black sky the stone warned her about? Was it a symbol? Was it a freaking global warming thing? It was all so frustrating.

She didn't realise that Grumpy put the plate in front of her. He noticed her daydreaming and as they ate. She thankfully loved her meal but barely said a word after all. He saw the way her eyes were trained on one spot, like he had seen earlier. He put his fork down and stated what plagued his mind from the moment he woke up.

"It talked to you again, didn't it?" He said cautiously. Kennedy's eyes met his, almost guiltily. She was going to tell him about it later that day, but he beat her to the punch. She still wasn't sure what it meant. She nodded solemnly in response.

"What did it want?" He asked tensely. He hated this, this feeling of being controlled again. First it was HYDRA, giving her false promises of saving the world and now this...thing that was ten times more powerful. He wanted nothing more than to destroy it, but he knew that such attempts would be futile. Again, the sting of helplessness crept up on him and he didn't know what to do. But he was sure as hell that he wouldn't let it take her from him.

"It warned me. I'm not sure what it meant but," she paused and looked at the sparkling dots on the granite counter, "I'm scared." She silently cursed for letting her voice break. But she couldn't help it; it was all too much. She was so scared, terrified being the better word. She had too much to lose, him above all. He was by her side in a heartbeat, enveloping her firmly in his arms. He didn't think she wanted to hear him say anything, only wanting him to hold her. He rocked her back and forth, brushing his fingers on her heated cheeks.

"We always find a way," he promised, "always." She nodded and relished in his warmth. Then her mind went to the stone in her pocket. She will somehow find a way.

…...

A 'family' meeting was called in their living room which was apparently the official muster point since all the commotion surrounded the lovely couple. The faces of the Avengers were riddled with worry over this foreign object, even Vision was not entirely sure how to react to something or someone similar to him. In the wrong hands, this stone could do much harm. She was not experienced enough; her mind was too fragile to take on such a task.

"Alright, we need to decide what we're going to do about the thing," Tony started.

"Maybe we could get Vision or Thor to hide it in space. Thor's done that with the Aether," Natasha offered.

"Keep it in a vault? Stark has thousands in different countries," Clint inputted.

"It won't work. It's a living thing; it will just come back to her," Vision shut down their suggestions immediately. This was indeed a tricky situation, "The safest place for it is with her."

"But what about her? How will she be safe?" The soldier said gruffly, his aggression increasing.

"It will keep me safe. We have to be together," Kennedy replied in a small voice as all eyes watched her take the tiny thing out of her pocket, "It told me last night." The soldier, who hardly spoke at these meetings, let it all out.

"Tesla and I are worried," he told her, his gaze softening just a bit, "about you." She watched him with a slightly betrayed expression.

"You two have been talking behind my back?" She asked.

"No. He and I have noticed what's been going on with you. You're hanging on to every word this thing has been saying. We're afraid that it's going to take advantage of you. We can't let it hurt you."

"I'll use my powers to destroy it. It's not going to take Dania away from us again," Wanda declared suddenly and strode across the room with determination. But as soon as her finger made contact with it, she flew back and hit the wall in a burst of green energy. As violent a reaction as it was, it did nothing but cause discomfort to her back; no impact with her head or anything.

"Wanda!" Kennedy leapt from her place on the sofa, abandoning the stone and went to her sister's side immediately. Vision was right behind her, concern all over his face.

"You see?! It's dangerous, Dania," Wanda pleaded with her sister. Kennedy helped her to her feet and looked ashamed. Was this stone seriously trying to make matters worse?

"No, not in the way you think," Vision said softly but everyone heard. He moved closer to the stone by the sofa, which hovered gently from its place on the floor. He tilted his head curiously as if listening or considering its aggressive behaviour. "It was a warning move. It was showing you that it was not meant for anyone else. It's trying to make you understand that. Its purpose is not to hurt any of us."

"That does not make us feel better at all," Tony remarked annoyed.

"It wasn't meant to. It's just the truth. This is something Kennedy must face. But she...sorry...they need our cooperation. For now, we wait to see what it needs us to do." The team, especially the soldier looked unsettled. The Avengers did not bow down to anyone, this being their first time.

"Okay. We'll play along with what it wants for now. What else did it tell you?" Steve got straight to business. Bucky's eyes snapped to his with fury; he was supposed to be on his side. Why were they letting this happen?

"This is bigger than us, Buck. We just saw that it wants to keep Kennedy safe. I'm not saying we let it do whatever it wants. But we need to listen," Steve reasoned with his friend. The soldier hated that Steve was right. They had nothing to go, no background except a legend to help them determine if it was a threat or not. What he didn't like was that Kennedy was at the centre of it. He wouldn't be able to protect her on this new level. But he nodded and waited for his girl to explain.

…...

Steve finished typing his message and read it over several times before he hit send.

It read:

 _Hey Emma. I really enjoyed our time together the other day. I hope we can do it again sometime. But I need you to do something for me, even though it may seem crazy. I need you to get out of town for a while. You have an idea of what my job entails and I'm afraid that something might be coming. I don't want you to be in the middle of it. I'll come get you when it all blows over. I'll explain everything soon._

 _Steve._

… _..._

 **HELL'S KITCHEN, NEW YORK**

A group of Americans and Japanese men convened at the docks, looking around cautiously for any interference from certain vigilantes or superheroes. No one could know what was taking place here. The Japanese leader stepped forward slowly to greet their newest ally. The American did the same, plastering a fake smile on his face for show. To be honest, he greatly disliked Asians in general; they had these eyes that followed you, stared at you as if they knew all your secrets.

"Mr. Nobu," the American man shook his hand firmly, trying not to breathe in the strong aftershave.

"Mr. Garret," Nobu replied in his thick accent.

"Thank you for helping us in this endeavour. Believe me when I say the outcome will be most beneficial, especially after your unfortunate dealings with Wilson Fisk. Are you sure we would not be disturbed during this process?"

"A certain...Devil...is preoccupied with the Irish gang on the north side of the Kitchen. Not tonight. May I present to you...the black sky." Garret's smile became genuine as he looked into the shipping container where an inhuman child sat, staring at his captors.

"The energy...the power resides in him?" He asked curiously, trying to contain his excitement.

"Yes. It would have to be extracted of course. An unpleasant necessity."

"Thank you. You don't know what it means to us. Hail Hydra."

…...

With a sudden jolt that left her sitting up in her bed, Kennedy's eyes snapped open in alarm. "What the…"


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Exams are finished! I got a job and hopefully be able to post more often. Here's a longish chapter for you guys for being so supportive and patient with me.**

"It was so real. It was like I was actually there. I felt the wind, the air; it was humid. I smelled the salt of the sea. I could feel the pebbles under my feet. I could hear a cat screeching further down the docks. I don't know what the hell it was. The future? Was I seeing something that was happening at that very moment in time? The stone didn't say anything to me. It just showed me...HYDRA and a Japanese mafia discussing the Black Sky. You see I thought this Black Sky thing was an event, like an eclipse or something. It's a child. A powerful one that hosts some power that HYDRA wants. The stone says it's important and in the wrong hands it will be used for destruction so we need to take it back from them," Kennedy rambled to her team who had all awoken from their sleep to hear the latest developments from the cosmic object.

The soldier, who opted to be open-minded towards this...thing's words of wisdom, mostly for Kennedy's sake. Everywhere he went and with every word she spoke, her eyes pleaded with him to understand, to trust that she knew what she was doing. He trusted her with his life; she knew that. But he was more adamant than others in trusting the stone. He had his reasons; a deep fear that hung like a dark, suffocating cloud he couldn't outrun. It was always there at the back of his mind, plaguing him with consistent paranoia, emptiness that clawed at what was left of his soul. The one fear he couldn't escape...was the possibility that she would end up like him, or him under HYDRA's control. He couldn't help but picture her blank, beautiful face staring at him, no recognition in her cold, sharp green eyes. Her memory of him would be taken away, her warmth out of reach. What if that was in store for her as long as she was with that damned rock? He couldn't let it take her from him. She was all he had left in this world. She _was_ his world.

"HYDRA's back," Steve silently said to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Why did it have to be them?

"Grumpy, did you hear a word I said? We have to go to Hell's Kitchen," Kennedy begged, her eyes searching his in desperation that he was on her side. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He knelt in front of her.

"HYDRA is back. Don't you understand? The fact that they're in the city means they know about you and the stone. They know we're here and it's a matter of time before they strike us at a time of uncertainty. We have to relocate, get you and that thing out of here before it comes to that," he suggested firmly. She needed to see reason but her stubbornness was getting the best of her. She looked at him in disbelief and turned to her siblings for support.

"Please," she mouthed to Wanda and Pietro. Both looked at her with worry, torn between trying to unite with her as a family but seeing reason and they wanted nothing more than to keep her safe. The expression of resolve on their faces was enough to determine the verdict. Steve, Thor, Romanoff, Barton, Stark even Banner who took the conversation in from a lonely corner of the room agreed with Bucky on his proposal with soft sounds of approval. Vision was nowhere to be seen which was a bit odd. She shook her head and turned away from their judging eyes. How could they do this? The Black Sky was here in New York, just the other side of the city in the hands of all kinds of shady motherfuckers and they only cared about her safety. She believed it to be a selfish decision, a decision that could possibly condemn the world.

"Pitbull's right, Ken. I can't believe I just said that, but we have to be smart about this. I've got a lot of safe houses all over the country so we should go there to think of another plan. Looks like the stone is helping us after all by sending you those dreams. Maybe we can trust it after all," Tony patted her on the shoulder, hoping the optimism would calm her down somewhat. However, she wanted to snap and tell him that the stone did not send her those dream to help the Avengers or make them feel better. They sent the visions as warnings, pushing her to do something about them.

"We should get back to sleep. We'll...figure out what to do in the morning," Steve instructed.

"Yes, sir," Romanoff saluted sarcastically and everyone began to file out. Kennedy and Bucky did not move from their positions on the couch. Steve looked at his friend, giving him an encouraging smile before disappearing down the hallway.

The soldier and Kennedy said nothing to each other as the ringing silence of the living room enveloped them. These worries, these disagreements hung in the air, waiting to be addressed.

"Ken," Grumpy said softly. His fingers skimmed her wrist, hoping his touch would coax her out of her foul mood. He accepted that she was mad at him. But in the end it would be worth it. She didn't respond to him and continued to stare at the window. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and sighed at her silent protest.

"I only want to protect you. I just...I can't let HYDRA or anything else get their hands on you. And this stone...I'm scared, okay," he confessed. She turned at what she heard which at least got her to look at him. Her stony expression dissolved as she took in his worry lines, his tense shoulders, his eyes that drowned in nothing but love and concern for her.

"I'm scared too," she whispered back. Scared was an understatement; she was terrified which she didn't say out loud since it would make him feel worse. Her pride finally caved and her hand covered his on her wrist.

"Tell me what's on your mind?" he asked as his thumb stroked her skin. She saw that this was his way of letting her express her point of view, to really allow him insight into her thoughts. He wanted and needed to understand why she would want to embark on this suicide mission.

"Grumpy, this is what I have to do. The world is counting on us to set this chaos right. You weren't there in the dream. You haven't seen or felt the end of the world. It's awful. I know you guys want to do what's best. But I can't help but feel alone in all this," she admitted to him. Her honesty stung; that feeling of being small and helpless creeping up on him again. She was right. He and the team had no idea what she was going through, no inkling as to the weight on her shoulders. But he couldn't take that burden from her no matter how much he wanted to. What he could do, however, was be there for her in every way he can. He nodded and listened to her, understanding the urgency she felt with regard to the Black Sky's presence in the other side of the city.

"We will find a way to get it. But I really think we need to plan this out properly. If we go in guns blazing, it won't end well for either of us. I'm not going to put you into danger. I know it's not ideal. Just give me and Tesla some time. We just need some time. Please?" He asked. She repressed her bubbling frustration and had no choice but to compromise.

"Two days tops," she offered with a defeated sigh.

"I'll take it," he nodded and brought her forehead to his lips.

…...

"Tesla and I gave it some thought. Stark has offered us the safe house in Alaska. That should put us ahead of HYDRA and it's an unexpected choice. Thor, Banner and Steve will accompany me and Kennedy, Pietro and Wanda will run through Hell's Kitchen to see where they've hidden the Black Sky, Vision and Stark will fly ahead to scan for threats while Barton and Romanoff will rendezvous with SHIELD for reinforcements if necessary," Bucky remarkably took charge of this mission to everyone's surprise. It definitely showed that no one was to mess with his girl.

"Sounds good," Steve nodded, "We head out in two days." He then excused himself to type away on his phone.

The soldier looked to Kennedy, who remained quiet and contemplative. She was silently panicking; the idea of waiting two days was punishing. HYDRA and their new Japanese friends could be experimenting at this very moment. They didn't have two days...or time at all. Grumpy made his way over to her, the back of his hand stroking her cheek softly.

"I'm just trying to protect you...you're my girl. Please don't be angry with me," he explained. She gave him a tired smile and nodded. As he left her to find Steve, she pulled the stone out of her pocket. She stared at the tiny thing, her thoughts at war. She valued Grumpy's desire to keep her safe, to minimize the inevitable impact of the coming conflict. But she couldn't sit around and do nothing; she needed to act. So wrapped up in the worries of her racing mind, she didn't realise that Vision suddenly appeared beside her. What shocked her even more was the fact that he traded in his suit and cape for a plain black sweater vest. Not his best choice, she thought.

"Your sister has brought me up to speed," he stated. She held back a small laugh at his attempt to use human jargon in his conversations. She looked at him with a knowing glint in her eye.

"Is that all you two talked about?" She smiled at him. He looked at her with slight shock as his machine like green eyes zoomed in on her.

"Come on. A blind man can see that you two are a thing."

"But blind men cannot actually see, Miss Walsh."

"Wanda needs to teach you sarcasm, Hal." He didn't bother asking her who Hal was and the two settled into a contemplative silence.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" He spoke as if he read her mind. She let out a heavy sigh and didn't bother to deny it.

"I have to. What the stone showed me...they don't understand...it didn't just show me possible futures. It showed me a higher perspective? I don't know like..."

"It showed you that you are above them. Humans. It showed you the perspective of a greater being." She looked at him fearfully. What if Grumpy and Tesla were right?

"Is it changing me? Am I becoming..."

"Changing? No. Evolving, developing...maybe. I understand what it is like. Unlike our colleagues, my power source has granted me the ability to see a bigger picture. It is nothing to be ashamed of, or to fear. It is just something that simply is. What matters is what we choose to do with this unique gift." What came next was unexpected.

"Go. Save us all," he made a subtle promise and left her puzzled on the couch. Was he actually letting her leave? Then her heart sank in realisation; she would have to leave in secret, leave Grumpy without saying goodbye. Her vision became blurry and she furiously wiped them away. Crying wasn't going to help her situation. She had no choice but to go by herself; maybe she could bring Tesla with her. He was loyal to her no matter what. But what would Grumpy do if she left? He would come after her no doubt, bring her back and keep her under lock and key? Would he ever trust her again? It was a sacrifice she had to make, despite every fibre of her being saying no.

…...

A few hours later, the soldier found Kennedy in their bed, probably exhausted from today's emotional rollercoaster. Not wanting to disturb her much needed sleep, he sat on the edge of the bed and saying or doing nothing. He did this sometimes; even when she wasn't awake, just being in the same room with her was enough for him to feel peace and calm. Just like how they were in the HYDRA base.

His attention turned to the ever present gem sitting on her bedside table. It was taunting him, reminding him that it could control her if it wanted to, it could eliminate her and leave her unprotected if it wanted to. Making sure she was asleep, he moved closer to the object and was careful not to touch it. He knelt down and glared at it, as if to intimidate it, which was futile and stupid of course. But he needed to prove a point; both to the stone and himself.

"I don't care that you're powerful. I don't care that you can see the future. All I care about is what happens to her. If you try to control her or turn her against us, I will find a way to destroy you. You can try to kill me but I won't stop coming for you," he growled lowly, almost like an animal. He tried to keep calm, breathed in and out silently as his reddened face and popping veins vanished. He wished he was strong enough to crush it in his bionic hand, get rid of its influence forever. This was stress and danger that they neither wanted nor deserved. Didn't their time with HYDRA and on the run count for nothing?

"You have heart," a voice replied in his ear. The soldier spun around to find the source of the voice, only to find Kennedy shifting slightly to lie on her back. The shock remained on his face and he turned to the stone again, seeing it radiate slightly more. Then, he knew it heard him; hopefully it heeded his words.

Deciding that he had enough for one night, he placed a soft kiss on Kennedy's forehead and left her to sleep in peace. However, her eyes opened as she heard the door click.

…...

Steve felt his phone buzz in his pocket and eagerly opened it to see a message from her. His heart was beating a bit faster with every word he read:

 _Steve, whatever you think is going to happen, it will be alright. Don't worry about me, okay? I have some relatives I can stay with until everything is sorted out. Just promise me you'll be careful. Be safe and contact me when you can._

 _Love Emma xx_

He closed his eyes and silently thanked God for getting her out of harm's way. Hopefully, this will all come to an end soon.

…...

Kennedy's hacking into the dark web without Friday snooping around was going very well. A lone duffle bag with a few days' worth of clothes and scraps to build a new untraceable 'burner computer' sat under the bed. Grumpy and Steve were staying up late to go over plans so they were occupied for two hours tops. She would sneak out through the lift, then the stairs, then the lift again to be unpredictable just in case Friday realised Tesla was subtly messing with her. Right now, she was finding her bearings of what kind of a place Hell's Kitchen was. Going by the shady chatter on the dark web, this working class section of New York City was overrun by gang activities; the Japanese, the Dogs of Hell, the Russians and the Irish in association with terrorist cells, some corrupt multinational corporations and she stumbled upon some connections to "the serpent". Were they stupid enough to use a synonym as a codename? Apparently they were. Her mobile buzzed and she wasn't surprised to see Tesla's concern.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked her.

"I have to, Tes. We have to. I know you and Grumpy want to keep me safe, but the world comes first. This is what I built you for. Please. I'm begging you."

Being an A.I wasn't as complicated as humans thought. It didn't mean that computers with intelligence were incapable of experiencing emotions. In fact, they felt rather intensely, just not in the way humans did. Humans showed it more, acted irrationally. Right now, Kennedy's A.I felt torn between concern for her immediate safety and his duty to protecting the world. But what the machine considered was that she was asking, not commanding him. She was asking for his help. That was what separated their relationship from Stark and Friday. James Barnes would be very angry with him but Kennedy always treated him as an equal, and she couldn't do this mission alone.

"I will keep you safe," Tesla's voice spoke to her sincerely. She was ready to break down in tears but firmly nodded, grabbing the bag to make her way out. Not before leaving Grumpy a note on his pillow and looking back longingly at their room.

She followed her plan, letting Tesla set up a pre-recorded security loop before signaling her to proceed down the hallways and staircases. It wasn't all that hard; she was in the basement car park in 10 minutes. She chose one of Tony's stakeout, inconspicuous cars and had Tesla disable any overriding commands from Stark Tower while leaving communications open. Throwing her bag in the trunk, she immediately froze when she saw Grumpy a few feet away from her, his body rigid and eyes swimming in agony. She was expecting him to throw her over his shoulder kicking and screaming. That was why he was here, wasn't it? Wrong.

He marched up to her and crashed his lips to hers in a fierce and swift motion of passion and desperation. She gasped in surprise at his spontaneity; he only kissed her like this once, when he came off the plane from raiding the HYDRA base, when he thought he was going to lose her. Instead of pulling away, he seemed to kick it up a notch as he backed them up to the wall. His hands roamed over her waist, her bare stomach under her shirt, her hands gripping his hair and biceps. It was like their bodies were also trying to get the other to understand, to let go or make them stay. Finally, their brief moment of intensity ended as they pulled away panting.

"Don't go," he begged huskily. Kennedy appeared slightly betrayed but then Tesla admitted,

"You two needed to say goodbye." She nodded and held her soldier's face in her hands.

"I need to do this. You know that. This is the only way we can be free."

"I'll come with you."

"We'll draw too much attention. HYDRA still wants us remember? The stone and Tes will be with me. I'll be fine. You're expertise is needed here. HYDRA still needs to be eliminated and the team has to distract them when I'm getting my hands on the Black Sky. We need a plan for when they come for the stone as well. Trust me." He closed his eyes and considered what she was saying. She was right; HYDRA will be expecting the both of them together and the Avengers' involvement was a predictable move. But their separation was unacceptable. She was still his mission, always will be. He guessed that this was inevitable, something bigger than the two of them would eventually arise.

"Come back to me," he whispered to which she nodded fiercely.

"I will, Grumpy."

"I love you." Three simple words made the world stop. The sounds of the cars outside, the whirring of the tower's electrical systems drowned out, only to be replaced by their breathing and erratic heartbeats. She pulled back in astonishment and beheld the truth in his eyes.

"You...you really mean that?" She stumbled upon her words.

"I love you," he repeated confidently. Small and briefly triumphant smiles graced their faces and she planted a kiss on his lips, ignoring the moisture on her cheeks.

"I love you too," she squeaked. They kissed again, a new meaning to their actions from now on. She felt something for the first time in a long time: hope. After a long session of embracing, they reluctantly pulled away. The soldier opened the door for her and ushered her in. The window was down and they held each others hand for a while longer.

"I'll be here on standby. Check in everyday. If things go south, I'm dragging you back here," he compromised.

"Yes, sir." He kissed her knuckles and their attention turned to the bang of an opening door. Pietro and Wanda stood in the doorway taking in the scene. Kennedy expected her siblings to take her back inside; but as Pietro had that idea in mind, Wanda placed a hand on his chest to stop him. The two sisters locked eyes in understanding and the older brunette nodded in solidarity. Go, Wanda silently instructed.

"Take care of him," Kennedy called out.

"Promise," Wanda replied. Tesla started the car and began to drive off, Kennedy and her soldier's hands were still interlocked. The soldier held on to her and walked with the moving car until he restrained himself from following them. Their hands finally let go but their hearts never leaving each other.

…...

As Tesla drove past the endless blocked buildings and skyscrapers, Kennedy tried to get her bearings of Hell's Kitchen. The place looked rough, taking into account the research she did on the area's major players. It reminded her of Tottenham and Hounslow, parts of London she frequented. The place wasn't glamorous, but community oriented. She could tell by the way people greeted each other. Tesla pulled over to the sidewalk to calculate new routes to a motel and she looked out the window to glimpse at the nearby newspaper stand. Her eyes squinted at the title and read a curious name in the headline out loud, "Daredevil..."

…...

Matt Murdock heard his name being said everyday by the citizens of Hell's Kitchen. It was nothing new; a local vigilante was a hot topic when the Avengers weren't stirring up trouble. People took in the gossip and rumors like oxygen; his stories of justice and protection were sensationalised by the media. But one voice immediately stood out to him. He blocked out the drunken masses, the hyperactive children and arguing adults to pinpoint what sounded like a girl's voice. The reason for this was a mystery to him.

"What is it, admin?" An automated, slightly distorted voice like he hadn't heard before, asked.

"Looks like superheroes are everywhere," a pleasant British accent observed, "They call him Daredevil."

"He encountered the Japanese gang in the past. Perhaps he might help in locating the Black Sky." His unseeing eyes underneath his mask widened in shock. How did they know about the Black Sky? Did they know what it was? Where were they? He'd been tracking that thing for months now with no luck. These people, strangers from out of town most likely, in Hell's Kitchen was not a coincidence. Maybe they were working for the gangs, could lead him to this power that Stick was after. It was time that he ended this.

"It's a small town. Who knows." He agreed with that. He had a feeling that he would encounter these two very soon.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Is anybody out there?! Guys, these past few weeks have been crazy with packing and moving out. I'm so sorry for the wait. To the peeps who left amazing reviews, MulishaMaiden and EveWrites for your messages and great ideas I sincerely thank you for your insight. Enjoy!**

"I miss you," the soldier whispered to the screen in front of him. He was relieved that Tesla got her somewhere safe, taking in the furniture, carpeted floor and closed curtains behind her as she lounged on the bed. It reminded him of their nights hiding from HYDRA, plagued by uncertainty yet finding stability with each other's presence. Sleeping on his own for the time being was an obstacle he had to overcome. The cold, empty space next to him taunted him, reminded him that she was there in Hell's Kitchen and not here; far from his protection. For hours, he would stare up at the pristine, white ceiling literally counting the seconds until she would return to his side. He pictured it perfectly and vividly; her mischievous smile, the playful glint in her eyes as she looked down at him. He could feel the softness of her skin like she was already there with him. A part of him was undeniably upset with her for making this decision to be without him; his mind went back to her promise of the two of them being partners.

But he knew that this was something he had to learn; a new level of trust, trust in what she was doing. The selfish side of him was constantly threatening to take over, tempting him to just grab her and whisk her away from this place. But he understood that this was bigger than the two of them; that was what she was trying to make him understand.

However, they contacted each other discreetly and agreed to video chat, his feelings of confusion and malcontent evapourated the moment he beheld her small but loving smile.

''I miss you too,'' she replied sadly, wishing this was just another mission of theirs so they could return home together. The first night for her was just as awful as his. The sheets were scratchy, the noises of the city were flooding in all at once; ambulances, police sirens, couples arguing in their apartments and conversations about heroes and vigilantes. She was grateful that she didn't have enhanced hearing; she felt sorry for superheroes who did. The peace and silence accompanied by Grumpy's presence was an insatiable craving she would always possess. The idea of going in blind without his warmth and constancy at her side was unnerving, making her increasingly anxious.

''Have you been having any more nightmares? Are you eating?" He questioned seriously. While his overprotectiveness was mostly smothering at times, at the moment it made him feel nearer to her. She laughed lightly at his never-ending concern.

"Yes I am. Tes is worse than you if there's such a thing," she replied, retreating back into the bittersweet mood of the evening. At the moment, her trusted A.I companion was running more scans on the dark web for where the Black Sky was being held, and if more were being shipped to New York City. Everything was currently in limbo and she found it difficult to breathe freely. The fear of something going wrong bore down on her like perpetual weight on her shoulders. She was constantly tense, muscles rigid as if anticipating intrusion and violence from her former captors and their new allies.

"How are things on your end?" She switched the subject, hoping that the Avengers' current plan would ease some of the agitation.

"Steve and I decided that we would stir up some trouble for them, try to draw them out. Maybe a Keeping them distracted on two fronts would give you a better chance of obtaining the Black Sky and getting back to the Tower without detection. We're still working out the technicalities of it all but we're getting there. For now, we're taking a look at what HYDRA could possibly deem as valuable. Strange is helping us with that since they still have a preference for occult objects," Grumpy explained. She nodded firmly and silently thanked a higher power for some sort of development. Hopefully this would work; it had to. The world depended on it, on her and the team. But then again, this was probably how the Avengers felt every day of their lives. It sucked.

"We'll get through this. We always do. This time we're not alone," he reassured her which made her slightly more optimistic. If he can see it, why can't she? She saw that he turned away from the camera to look behind him and met her gaze again.

"Your brother and sister want to talk to you. I'll be outside for a bit," he told her. Pietro and Wanda came into her line of sight and she heard the door on the right side of the screen close softly. A thought came to her head; so this is what it's like to be a real family, keep in contact over video chats and phone calls. It was a change for her of course since she had been alone most of life and had no one to even call on a daily basis. But it was a good change, a wholesome shift from individuality to community. Honestly, she was glad to see them.

"I still don't like this Dania," Pietro expressed his discomfort with their current position. He sat in the chair that was previously occupied by his sister's boyfriend. Wanda stood behind him, somber with a steady hand on his shoulder, as if holding him at bay before he sped off to Hell's Kitchen himself.

"I know. I don't like it either. But this is our one chance to rid the world of HYDRA and their plans. We can finally get payback for all they've done to us," Kennedy implored. She wasn't only talking about the torture she and Grumpy managed to escape, but also the experimentation her siblings were subjected to. While it was voluntary, HYDRA preyed on their loss, their insecurities, their weaknesses for each other. And then, she realised that there was more to it.

"They took me away from you...the four of you," she continued, acknowledging the parents she would never meet. She frequently dreamt what it would be like, to know them, to grow up in a simple home. Would her mother have been a housewife or a working woman? What was it like to see a father come home smiling to his children? Even though she was at a total loss as to that kind of life, she could at least get an idea from her siblings. Unfortunately, amongst the chaos of the last few weeks, she was unable to have a proper chat with them. However, they showed their unwavering support and trust which made her warm up to this idea of family even more.

"They shall pay, Dania. One way or another. And we will do it together...as a family..." Wanda told her sincerely. Kennedy clamped her mouth shut in order to not let go a sob in response to her sister's sentimentality, a concept that she was still trying to understand with others besides Grumpy. She nodded fervently before saying,

"When I get back...when this is all over, we should talk. The three of us...I-I think a nice, long talk would be great. I'm sorry it's taken this long to...you know what I mean."

"I really think we should come over there. I can take out the HYDRA scum in seconds," Pietro interjected, shifting restlessly in the chair.

"HYDRA knows you too better than anyone. They basically created you and they probably know your powers more than you do. Stay with the others. I mean it." Her brother snorted and crossed his arms, resulting in Wanda giving him a scolding tap on his bicep.

"You promise to call us, yes? If things get bad?" Wanda asked.

"I swear it," Kennedy replied sincerely, "I know I'm not alone." Their youngest sister's answer seemed to sate their uncertainties. Grumpy strolled into the camera's vision and they took their leave.

"We've made contact with Strange and he thinks he has a plan to draw them out," he told her, leaning on the long control panel.

"I'll leave you to it. Tes is almost done here as well." He nodded solemnly, not wanting to end the conversation; but she gave him a mission and he would go to the ends of the earth to see it through.

"Is he taking care of my girl?" The soldier asked with a crooked smile which made her radiate with delight.

"Yes I am," the A.I replied in the background.

"Good," he replied and turned his eyes to her, "I love you."

"I love you too." After sharing a short moment of loving silence, they logged off and settled into the lonely spaces of their respective corners of New York City. The soldier returned to Steve's side, pensive and business-like as Stephen Strange's expressionless face appeared on the computer screen.

"Strange, you've found something we can use as bait?" Rogers folded his arms, hoping for some good news.

"Yes. Have you ever heard of the Darkhold?"

…...

Kennedy anxiously waited for her A.I to finish his configuration. Her burner computer was still trying to grow accustomed to Tesla's power and the colossal amounts of information he provided. She chewed on her thumbnail nervously as the bar loaded to 99.8%.

"Complete. Sources from the dark web and not so discreet chatter in Hell's Kitchen confirm that an exchange between HYDRA and the Yakuza shall take place tonight at 2300 hours. At least two dozen men...weapons expected. Do we have a plan?" Tesla questioned.

Kennedy looked down at the green stone that rested in her palm. What **was** the plan anyway? It hadn't given her visions since they arrived in the district it wanted her to come to. Was it screwing with her? As if reading her mind, it started to pulse a bit brighter, a sign that all would be well and to have faith. It was difficult to have faith in a city like this, with people like HYDRA, mafias and other criminal organizations running amuck.

"It will be ok. We'll just improvise I guess," she answered unsure. She knew Tesla would give her an eye roll if he could.

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"It will be fine. I'll take them out when the time is right, we get the Black Sky, send word to Grumpy and we get the hell out of this place."

Matt Murdock crouched on a roof top a mile away from the hotel room of Hell's Kitchen's most recent visitor. From what he could piece together, she was planning to take the Black Sky for herself, for power or fame. From the time he spent tailing her, he pieced together what kind of person she was with the help of his independent research. Her name was Kennedy Walsh, British citizen, resident of Pentonville Prison in London until several months ago when she was mysteriously removed, incarcerated for treason in the attempt to sell state secrets. Why else would she want the Black Sky? It was obvious that she wanted to continue her criminal activities. Not in his city, not ever. His burner phone rang and he picked up on the first ring.

"Foggy," he answered huskily before he realised that he didn't need to disguise his voice anymore. It was still a new concept that his friend was aware of his nightly activities.

"How's your brooding on rooftops going?" His friend asked sarcastically.

"How do you know I'm on a rooftop?"

"Well aren't you?" Matt's silence proved this assumption.

"You see? You vigilante types love to brood over your city and shit, like that Bat guy everyone talks about."

"Are you calling to criticise my technique or is it something important?"

"Yeesh. Touchy much? Anyway, I wanted to let you know that Karen is getting more inquisitive. Watch your ass. You've been out every night this week. Is something going on?"

"There are some new players in the Kitchen. I think I'll pay them a visit. I'll see you tomorrow." That small voice in the back of his head scolded him for being cocky, carefree, feeling invincible. After saving his city from the likes of Wilson Fisk and effortlessly taking down what was left the scumbags on the street, he enjoyed his job as Hell's Kitchen's red protector. What was one young girl going to do? That was when he felt it. A strange pulse, the air around him vibrating with energy he only felt once on a field trip to a nuclear power plant. He tilted his head, confused and trying to pinpoint the source. Was that coming from this Walsh girl? He never read this off of someone before; bodily changes yes, but not...power. He wouldn't know exactly what **kind** of power until later that night.

…...

Kennedy crept through the maze of rusty storage containers at the docks. She tried her best to tiptoe around the metal bits, stray concrete chunks and deep puddles that would have alerted her shady friends of her presence. She peeped around the corner to see seven obligatory black SUVs forming a semi circled blockade around the dock's edge. Men decked out in tactical gear and machine guns waited patiently but tensely for the cargo to arrive. HYDRA definitely. Her last vision was playing itself out perfectly, from the positions of the men to the fresh, salty scent of the bay. The urgency within her increased; she needed to stop this while she could. Another motorcade pulled up, followed by a procession of less glamorous soldiers with a variety of different rifles.

The Japanese kingpin ceremoniously eased himself out of one of his Land Rovers and stood at ease before the curved line of strike team members. Kennedy's eyes analysed every inch of this man, trying to get a bearing of how threatening he was. His sharp cheekbones practically screamed villain, his gaze looked perpetually hard and cold and his stance was ready to take all these guys out at once. Shady as hell, even though his suit was most likely Westwood or Ralph Lauren.

HYDRA's leading man ominously stepped forth from the shadows of the night with a tight smile in greeting. He spread his hands out as a friendly gesture, or maybe to show that he wasn't armed. Either way, she thought he looked like a double crossing dick.

"Mr. Nobu," he said shaking the other's hand firmly.

"Mr. Garret," Nobu's accent played with the name, as if it was an inside joke or slightly mocking. Kennedy shook her head in disbelief; why didn't they just kill each other then and there instead of wasting everyone's time?

"Thank you for helping us in this endeavour..." While these 'pleasantries' were being exchanged, Kennedy was looking for a way to disrupt their trade. She counted the men; 48 in total, all armed. She believed that she stood a chance with the stone's power, her power and Tesla's assistance in cutting off all communication; a good way to keep things quiet.

Her attention snapped to a shipping container, the one containing the mysterious, otherworldly child in chains. As the lid was wrenched open, the child looked up expressionlessly at its captors. He didn't even look angry or scared, as if accepting his position. His eyes, however, discreetly drifted in her direction, to the shadows. She stopped breathing and hoped that the kid would realise that she was here to save him. His silence seemed to help her anxiety considerably.

"The energy...the power resides in him?" Garret asked.

"Yes. It would have to be extracted of course. An unpleasant necessity."

"Thank you. You don't know what it means to us. Hail Hydra."

The stone pulsed frantically in her hand, as if to signal her that it was time to move. The centre of her palm began to radiate and increase in heat the longer she waited. She took a breath and held her fist out, squinting her eyes to aim at the cars. She knew the stone understood her desire to not kill everyone, but rather distract them. As the energy was about to leave her, all hell broke loose. She heard a loud clang on one of the containers, which made bullets and obscenities fly wildly in panic.

She swore and crouched down to go further into the shadows, trying to figure out her next move. So someone was here to disrupt the exchange, causing havoc. Was this her friend or foe? Who else knew about the activities happening here tonight? She didn't know what to do, looking down at the stone for some guidance; she was met with silence.

"Really?" She groaned and pocketed the wretched thing. She dared to peak around her corner and found that men lay unconscious and the cars either sped off or were abandoned in the commotion. She crept from her space into the open and gripped her hair.

"Fuck!" She screamed in frustration. What was she to do now? It took ages for her to find the smallest threads on the dark web; how the hell was she supposed to get the Black Sky back now? Without the team's help, her goal was further out of reach.

Her heart jumped out of her throat when she heard someone land on the gravel behind her. She spun around, a startled sound resounding in her throat but fell silent with shock as she beheld who it was. His red mask paired with the signature horns she recognised from newspapers all over town was in fact intimidating. The holes where his eyes were able to see out of were blocked out by red film, his kevlar body suit immediately gave her the impression that he was not one to mess around with and his two batons were gripped tight in his gloved hands. The Devil of Hell's Kitchen or Daredevil as he was formally known stood before her, jaw locked and ready to attack if she gave him a reason.

"You..." She breathed.

"You shouldn't be here Miss Walsh," he cut her off. She gave him a confused look.

"You know me?"

"I know enough. Traitor to the United Kingdom for attempting to sell state secrets to the highest bidder. Not your typical teenage angst story." She grinded her teeth, trying to keep calm.

"I'm not here to take the cargo to sell it. I need to get it out of the Yakuza and HYDRA's hands. The world depends on it."

"Nice try. Not gonna happen. If you don't leave my city tonight, I will know."

"The intimidating act won't work. I'm not leaving."

"I won't ask again." In a flash he gripped her forearm, but her powers were faster. Strange taught her to analyse an opponent's movements from their body language as soon as they entered the room. She had a feeling this little spat was coming. Her telekenesis along with the stone's protective measures shot him back with a blast of energy. He flew back and groaned loudly as he hit the floor. It wasn't like the movies where guys would flip back up without a scratch. Even though he was dressed like a superhero, she saw that he was just an ordinary guy; no powers, just pure will. She respected that.

He coughed and stood up looking pissed.

"I heard about people like you," he said cracking his neck. She scoffed at his typical badass kind of behaviour. He flipped and sent one of his batons flying at her. She admitted that it almost caught her off guard and she swore silently as she dodged it. He smirked as if he heard her and sent his last one at her before he bolted, jumping high to tackle her to the ground only to be suspended in mid air. He gave a irritated groan and snarled at his inability to defeat her. She guessed that this didn't happen to him often.

"Would you just listen to me goddamit?!" She snapped at him and she held him steadily in the air. He stopped struggling and glared at her beneath his mask.

"I'm not here to take the Black Sky for myself. This is a lot bigger than you and me, okay? It's cosmic. The Avengers and I need to stop whatever these groups are planning to do with it. If we fail, the world is as good as dead. I have a feeling that you're trying to do the right thing. I've read about the good things you do. Trust me when I say we're on the same side. Believe me, please," she pleaded with him. He remained silent in his invisible barrier. However, she saw him tilt his head to the side for a while, as if listening for something. She didn't ask him what he was doing; maybe it was his way of considering her words.

"You have five minutes to convince me before I take you out of this city myself," he grunted. She smirked before placing him on the ground gently. It would take a lot longer than five minutes.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Thank you so much for your replies guys! I'd like to personally thank** **werewolfs-team** **for doing a beautiful art cover for the story. I am honoured and flattered thank you. For some reason it's not uploading so for those who wish to see it, message me and I'll find a way to send it to you.**

 _Thump, thump, thump._ Her heartbeat remained consistently steady as she told her story. Two hours in and no sudden jumps, no sweating, no nervous fidgeting to indicate untruth. As they decided to take their heated conversation to a random rooftop in the neighbourhood, she sat the roof's ledge, swinging her feet and explained herself to him, the Devil of Hell's Kitchen.

He could feel her eyes follow him as he strolled up and down the rooftop, arms crossed and shoulders tense. Was he believing her? Was he going to pounce on her after she explained herself? She hoped not because she honestly needed all the help she could get. Despite the ego and ridiculously symbolic costume (which was actually beginning to grow on her), she had a feeling that he was just a man trying to do the right thing for his city. A willing heart and strength was what the stone was drawn to, much like it was to her and Grumpy. Plus, by the way he wasn't trying to constantly beat down on her, she saw the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

"So...you were responsible for that fiasco in DC," he stated evenly with his back still to her.

"Yup," she responded with a hint of shame.

"And you saved everyone in the process."

"I tried my best. I couldn't let them go through with it."

"And now you're working with the Avengers to stop another catastrophe."

"Basically."

Her new friend turned his head towards Tony Stark's unmistakable skyscraper. What was he thinking about? Was he debating if the Avengers were friends or foes? The obvious answer would have been friend, going by the way that they saved the world every two years or so. Did he see them as otherwise? She thought about it; here was a lone vigilante on the other side of the city, not fighting the cosmic villains but the everyday scumbags and kingpins who managed to slip under the Avenger's radar. A team such as hers didn't simply have the time or resources to eliminate all crime around them. It just wasn't possible. Did Daredevil resent them for this?

"This stone can help us?" He broke the long silence, "what if it's using you to manipulate me?"

"The Avengers wouldn't have let me roam these streets if it was. You'll just have to trust me."

His head tilted downward, observing the stone in her palm. Under the scrutiny of his gaze, the stone's light pulsed in response. She might have been mistaken but she could have sworn that she saw a fraction of a wince at the minimal display of its power.

"If I doubt, just for a second that it won't do its job in helping our cause, it's going to the bottom of the Hudson," was his final say on things. She clenched her jaw in attempt to hide her smile, not just out of relief but because leaving it at the bottom of the river was impossible when the thing had a mind of its own.

"Thank you for hearing me out," she told him sincerely, "you won't regret it."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. You wouldn't like the result." She scoffed at his macho talk but took his offer of assistance nonetheless. He then stood up straight, watching her as if he were awaiting further instructions.

"We need to get to them fast. You know this place better than anyone I presume. Do you have an idea of where they can be? Going by the crap that transpired tonight, I would think that they beefed up security and hiding spots."

"I'll look into it," he said before heading to the opposite end of the roof.

"That's it? You're going to leave me here? I thought we were working together," Kennedy held her arms out incredulously. Was he serious?

"Just because we're working together, it doesn't mean that I trust you completely," he replied monotonously.

"Fair enough but how do I meet you?" She crossed her arms in annoyance.

"I'll come to you." With that, he continued to the end of the rooftop and ran in her direction. She hurriedly scuttled out of the way and gasped aloud as he flung himself off the roof. She ran to the ledge and frantically searched below to find him parkouring away along buildings heading to the west. She shook her head in disbelief.

"Just like that bat guy. Damn vigilantes," she muttered. About a mile away, Matt Murdock smiled at her comment.

…...

"I don't like this. They won't buy it," the soldier shook his head, trying to breathe evenly. Steve, Banner, Stark and himself stood around the glass table, taking in the mysterious but dangerous grimoire called the Darkhold that lay in the middle. It was a peculiar thing; both hideous but curiously beautiful in the secrets that it held. It was made purely out of black leather, crumbling in various parts due to mildew while a Medieval styled "D" was painted in blood red on the centre. They were warned by Strange's nervous courier that direct contact with the grimoire was ill-advised, not that they wanted to touch it. Unlike the security they felt with the stone being on their side, this thing was the complete opposite. It emanated the dark, sinister in the way it tried to plant unhealthy thoughts, peak at their darkest desires. They had Friday remove the packaging with one of the robotic arms from the ceiling, but it still didn't help the whispers from trying to distract them. The soldier squeezed his eyes shut to rid it from his sight, asking to be excused from the room several times. After a 15-minute interval, he huffed and marched back in, pushing the blood and murderous scenes from his mind.

"They will. HYDRA is notorious for 'collecting' occult objects. You of all people should know that they believe in a cosmic plan and these objects have a part to play," Strange explained on the holographic screen hovering in front of them. Unfortunately, he was still tied up at the moment to assist them directly.

"It will work Buck," Steve put a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder, "this might be Ken's only chance to snatch the Black Sky away from HYDRA. Offering them the Darkhold in exchange for backing off of you two will definitely get their attention. We just need to buy her time, then she'll be back with us in no time."

"If that doesn't work out, at least we have more HYDRA assholes to smite," Stark shrugged. Banner hit him and glared as if to say, "bad timing".

"She's in good hands. She's in the city and she has Tesla and the stone to keep her safe. She may be small but she's capable of a lot," Banner imputed.

The soldier bowed his head solemnly and released a deep sigh. This separation from her was still getting to him and the team has been nothing but patient with him. Yes, while he had the occasional outburst of angst and exasperation, he managed to achieve 5 hours of sleep while working his way through nightmares with the star map she made for him. It was progress and something told him that she would be proud of him. He wanted that more than anything; after all, she needed him in top shape if they were going to save the world.

"We good?" Steve asked. His friend nodded fervently.

"There's a guy, used to be high in the ranks before he dropped off the grid. He specialized in the remnants of the Red Skull's obsession with the occult. It's a long shot, but I'll put the word out that we want to negotiate. I know a place where we can meet. Give me a map," the soldier rambled, getting straight to work. Stark pulled up a holographic map for him, clapping him on the shoulder, a small sign of praise and appreciation. The soldier lifted his hard eyes to him and slowly nodded in solidarity. Stark and his relationship somewhat improved over the past few weeks. The former seemed to put his life-long vendetta to bed for the time being and the soldier did nothing to betray their trust.

"Who is this guy?" Banner interjected.

"His name is Silvio Manfredi, also known as Silvermane. And he's not someone to be taken lightly."

…..

Matt Murdock shifted his cane from left to right as he strolled down the busy street. He sighed softly to himself, the illusion of himself being completely blind tiring and unnecessary. Why did he have to keep it up? People wouldn't piece together his extracurricular activities even if he was a regular guy who happened to be late to work. But his blindness, in its cruel outlook, in its power to take away sunsets, a girl's loving eyes, an ocean, was a blessing. People never looked twice; they strolled past him, only giving looks of sympathy rather than noticing him with suspicion and curiosity. Unknown to them, he watched, he listened, he waited for opportunities, all because he was the fly on the wall uncovering their secrets and plans.

He stopped directly in front of the steps of Nelson and Murdock; 'a little too accurate', he thought sourly to himself. He had to watch himself more closely now; cockiness was going to get him in trouble eventually. Last night was proof of that. The familiar voices of Karen and Foggy were part of his morning routine, not hearing them banter playfully set him on edge, made him worry about the former especially. She had a habit of getting herself into trouble. He tapped his cane around the doorway and smiled at their last comments.

"I'm telling you, Captain America will beat Iron Man in a fight. I bet all my money on it," Karen laughed.

"Firstly, you don't have any money to bet since we don't pay you. Secondly, the laws of physics and Tony Stark's genius will tell you how impossible it is for an interactive suit of armor to be bested by meat and bone."

"People can surprise you," Matt chuckled from the doorway. He heard a heartbeat increase slightly and he didn't have to focus his limited vision to know that it was Karen. She had been doing that frequently lately and while it was somewhat unnerving, he couldn't suppress a tinge of excitement from it. Karen had a special place in his life, a place he was trying to make sense of. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to deal with Matt Murdock's regular life. Right now, it was a pretense to pass the time.

"Hey Matt. I don't get how you can sneak up on people," Karen chuckled nervously, tucking a stray of her blonde hair behind her ear.

"Patience and practice over the years," he replied vaguely. You have no idea, he thought to himself.

"Karen. Would you mind finding the name of the company Mrs. Williamson works for? We're heading over to the head office in a bit," Foggy asked.

"Sure. Gimme a few minutes." When she was out of sight, Foggy pulled Matt into his corner of the office urgently.

"What the hell went down last night? You didn't check in like you said you would," he scolded, trying to remain calm.

"I know and I'm sorry. But things got…complicated last night," Matt sighed, placing his hands on his hips.

"How could it be any more complicated than my best friend being a blind vigilante running around in red tights?"

"They're not tights. And if you must know, I'm now helping an Avenger to prevent the Yakuza and HYDRA from destroying life on this planet as we know it. Sounds complicated enough?" Foggy closed his already open mouth and leaned back.

"Come again?"

…..

"I found help. This guy really knows his stuff about the Japanese and the city. If anyone can find the Black Sky, it's him," Kennedy told Grumpy on the screen. She was currently lounging on the bed, giving her comrades an update while she waited for her red ally to show up. When she returned to her room in the morning, she found a note that he slipped under her door saying "Be here tonight, 8pm". How he got to her place so fast was a mystery but she neither questioned nor complained about the help she was getting from this fine upstanding citizen.

"Maybe I should come for the night. Check him out myself. Then I'll know if he's good," Grumpy suggested. She sighed, knowing this was coming.

"We don't have time. Your presence here is going to stir up trouble. The stone thinks he's on our side and I'm trusting what it says. All I ask is that you trust me. Trust that I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Her eyebrow shot up in surprise at his challenge. It seemed that her sassiness was rubbing off.

"I'll get back to you on that," she admitted, softly chuckling.

"It will be over soon. We sent our message to Silvermane and now we wait for your 'friend's' information. After that, we'll coordinate times and dates from there." She nodded and looked at her screen in confusion. Grumpy looked manic, breathing heavily and staring at something behind her. She turned around and swallowed the yelp in her throat. The Devil of Hell's Kitchen stood behind her, not moving much, just observing their conversation.

"Are you daft? How long have you been there? Were you planning on making a noise?" she spat at him.

"I have some news," he responded instead. His head then titled to the screen on the bed. There was a man there, clearly someone who cared for Walsh, who undoubted wanted him gone from the room. Sensing the tension that seemed to transcend technology, she told the guy softly,

"He won't hurt me. He's like us. He wants to help people." The man's jaw was clenched in his attempt to remain at ease.

"If you don't call me back in 10 minutes, I'm coming for you." Walsh nodded, signed off and sat upright.

"You heard the man. You have 10 minutes."

"Boyfriend?"

"What's it to you?"

"Curious."

"Whatever. What did you find out?"

"Another meeting is taking place at a meat packing factory by the river. Friday at midnight."

"Why do bad guys always meet at a witching hour?" He chuckled softly at that; this Brit was going to be the end of him.

"Is your stone going to help us? What do we need to do?"

"You saw what the Black Sky was. It's in a child. So I guess we're kidnapping him."

"Great."

….

"You Avengers must have lost your minds in coming to me to negotiate," a heavy Italian accent echoed through the room. An old man, with accompanying silver hair smirked at the team of superheroes who did nothing but make his and his colleagues lives difficult. To see HYDRA's former asset actually giving orders and standing there as his enemy was indeed a sight to behold.

"Fine. Don't see what we have to offer. We'll happily order a drone strike now that we've got your location," the soldier drawled, his finger hovering over the button.

"I never said I wasn't interested. I was simply stating a fact. Now what is it that you wish me to see?"

"We have the Darkhold." Strange gave them a specific script to follow in order for this meeting to be successful. Say what they had in their possession, no visual which in turn increases curiosity. It seemed to be working since Silvermane's smug mask came right off to be replaced by shock. He tried to recover into an emotionless façade, but it was too late. Briefly, they relished in getting his attention.

"How do I know that you're not bluffing and intend to assassinate me and my men?"

"You'll just have to come and find out for yourself." Steve held back a smile of pride. His friend, just weeks before was a whirlwind of paranoia and anger. Now he was taking himself back from those monsters. Silvermane leaned forward in his chair and smiled coldly to the camera.

"Where do we start?"


	39. Author's note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

 **Hey guys. I know this isn't a chapter but I just wanted to let you know that a chapter is coming down the line just not until next week or so. I know it's been a more than a month but things have been extremely hectic with school right now. I've started my Duke of Edinburgh award which requires a lot of volunteer work on top of my endless readings for seminars and such. I have everything planned out for the next chapter so I just humbly ask you guys to continue believing in and supporting the story. It may take a bit longer than expected but it will happen and there's no way I'm letting you guys down. Look out for it soon, ok? I'm doing my best to make it awesome for you all. Thanks so much.**


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